|
SLUG: 2-292684 Congress/Defense Spending (L-O)
DATE: NOTE NUMBER: |
||
DATE=8-1-02 TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT TITLE=CONGRESS DEFENSE SPENDING (L) NUMBER=2-292684 BYLINE=DEBORAH TATE DATELINE=CAPITOL HILL CONTENT= VOICED AT: INTRO: The Senate has overwhelmingly passed (by a 95 to three vote) the largest defense spending bill in U-S history. The measure must be reconciled with a House-passed version before a final bill is sent to President Bush for his signature. Correspondent Deborah Tate reports from Capitol Hill. TEXT: The 355 billion dollar defense bill is 11 billion dollars less than President Bush reqeusted. But its size is still significant, as Democratic Whip Harry Reid of Nevada noted: /// REID ACTUALITY /// The largest defense bill in the history of the world. /// END ACT /// The bill would spend 34 billion dollars more on defense programs next year over the current year. Most of the cut from the President's request -- 10 billion dollars, which he wanted for a war contingency fund -- is being set aside for the time being. Lawmakers did not believe the administration adequately specified how it wanted to spend the money. The measure includes nearly seven billion dollars for the effort to develop a missile defense system. The bill also sets up an 814 million dollar fund that the President could use either for missile defense or the fight against terrorism. The legislation provides money for - among other things -- 15 C-17 cargo aircraft, 21 Blackhawk and 11 Osprey helicopters, and 23 F-22 stealth fighters. It also includes a four-point-one percent pay raise for U-S troops. An amendment offered by Senator Richard Lugar, an Indiana Republican, makes it easier for the United States to help Russia meet its obligations under the Chemical Weapons Treaty. /// LUGAR ACTUALITY /// We are working in this country to reduce our chemical weapons, and we hope to do so in the 10 years that we have pledged to do so under the treaty. The Russians have a whole lot more of them, and my point is that it is not a lack of good will but of money, lack of technical support. /// END ACT /// The bill also would provide 417 million dollars to help former Soviet states dismantle and secure their nuclear arsenals. (SIGNED) NEB/DAT/FC |
||
|
NEWSLETTER
|
| Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list |
|
|
|
