DATE: Wednesday, July 30, 1997              TAG: 9707300619

SECTION: FRONT                   PAGE: A5   EDITION: FINAL 

DATELINE: WASHINGTON                        LENGTH:   20 lines

HOUSE APPROVES START-UP FUNDING FOR MORE B-2'S

The B-2 stealth bomber evaded another attack on its funding Tuesday, with the House voting for new planes not requested by the White House or the Pentagon.

The B-2 debate was part of a bill providing $248 billion for defense programs in fiscal 1998. The bill, which gives the Pentagon $4.4 billion more than the administration requested, passed 322-105.The budget provides start-up money to add nine more B-2s to the existing fleet of 21.

In a 222-200 vote, the House rejected an amendment that would have removed $331 million, the money for the new planes, from the $505 million appropriated for the B-2. KEYWORDS: BUDGET DEFENSE

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