THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, September 30, 1995 TAG: 9509300319
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A01 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: STAFF & WIRE REPORTS
DATELINE: WASHINGTON LENGTH: Long : 104 lines
House Republican leaders suffered a jolt Friday as an unlikely coalition of liberals and abortion foes defeated a $243 billion defense spending bill.
Breaking from the GOP leadership, the abortion foes, many of them freshman Republicans, opposed the huge spending bill because of a single clause weakening an anti-abortion provision in the legislation.
``St. Peter, on my judgment day, will not ask me about the B-2 bomber or my defense votes,'' said Rep. Robert Dornan, R-Calif., author of the original provision. ``He will ask me about my votes on human life.''
The bill was attacked from other corners, as well: GOP ``cheap hawks'' upset with big spending on the B-2 bomber and Seawolf submarine, a group favoring stronger congressional prerogatives in Bosnia policy and an almost solid block of Democrats.
The rejection of the defense measure will have no immediate impact because Pentagon funds are assured through Nov. 13 under the temporary spending resolution agreed to by the White House and Congress this week. The House on Thursday passed the ``continuing resolution'' to finance the government after the start of the fiscal year Sunday. The Senate passed it late Friday by voice vote.
But the defense vote Friday has considerable significance for the broader budget politics between the Republican-controlled Congress and the White House. Budget Director Alice M. Rivlin had indicated in a letter to House Speaker Newt Gingrich, R-Ga., that President Clinton would veto the bill because ``it allocates nearly $7 billion more than we need at this time for defense'' while it ``starves our needed investment in education and training and other priorities.''
The House action Friday relieves Clinton from having to veto a bill that supports popular military programs and provides millions of jobs. It also might improve his leverage in negotiating for the restoration of some domestic spending in exchange for a modest cut in defense.
The final version of the bill - worked out in conference with Senate negotiators - retained a provision prohibiting abortions in overseas military hospitals. However, it also contained a caveat that it would become law only if an identical provision were passed in a companion defense authorization bill. That legislation is bogged down in House-Senate negotiations and its final passage is in doubt.
Defeat of the House bill Friday in a 267-151 vote means the measure must go back to House-Senate negotiations for possible revision. The Senate has not yet voted on it. A total of 130 Republicans joined 136 Democrats and one independent in rejecting the bill. Voting for it were 98 Republicans and 53 Democrats.
FRIDAY'S HOURLONG DEBATE did not touch on weapons systems, troop readiness, pay rates or any of the other usual issues surrounding defense spending.
And significantly for Hampton Roads, there was no apparent controversy over the bill's provision of $100 million for preliminary work on an attack submarine that would be built at Newport News Shipbuilding beginning in 1999.
The bill also includes $700 million for additional work on the third and last Seawolf class sub, now under construction at Electric Boat of Groton, Conn., and $704 million for design work at Electric Boat on the first in a smaller and cheaper class of subs that would follow the Seawolf.
The sub to be built in Newport News would be the second in the post-Seawolf class.
The subs are the largest weapons purchase contemplated in the defense bill. The Clinton administration supports them, but objects to a variety of other weapons sought by Congressional Republicans.
THE VOTE DREW A SHARPLY negative reaction from Democrats and Republicans representing Hampton Roads.
``I am extremely disappointed that issues totally unrelated to our nation's defense have come together to defeat this very important legislation,'' said Rep. Owen B. Pickett, a Democrat who represents Virginia Beach.
A spokesman for Rep. Herbert H. Bateman, a Newport News Republican, said Bateman was disappointed with the vote but hopeful that the abortion issue will be resolved and a new bill brought to the floor with no changes in the shipbuilding program.
Sen. Charles S. Robb of Virginia, a Democrat, suggested that the GOP's drive to cut such social programs as Medicaid and Medicare, along with its promise to reduce taxes, will create pressure to cut defense as well.
``In every meeting I've had with the Navy, with shipbuilders . . . I have talked about those kinds of challenges,'' Robb said. He suggested that the conferees' attempt ``to solve every problem . . . by giving each side everything it wanted, (made it) clear that somewhere along the line some sharper pencils were going to have to be involved.'' MEMO: This story was compiled from reports by staff writer Dale Eisman, The
Associated Press and The Washington Post.This story was compiled from
reports by staff writer Dale Eisman, The Associated Press and The
Washington Post.
ILLUSTRATION: Chart
HOW THEY VOTED
A ``yes'' vote is a vote to pass the bill.
Herbert Bateman, R-Va. Yes
Owen B. Pickett, D-Va. Yes
Robert C. Scott, D-Va. Yes
Norman Sisisky, D-Va. Yes
Eva Clayton, D-N.C. No
Walter Jones Jr., R-N.C No
KEYWORDS: DEFENSE BUDGET MILITARY BUDGET CONGRESS
by CNB