‘Star Wars’ Cuts Rejected by Senate : Surprise Democratic Amendment on Sanctions Spurs Bitter Partisan Debate

WASHINGTON —  The Republican-controlled Senate Tuesday narrowly defeated two efforts to cut funding for President Reagan’s so-called “Star Wars” defense system below $3.9 billion in fiscal 1987 and then erupted in a bitter struggle over sanctions on South Africa.

By identical votes of 50 to 49, the Senate rejected proposals to trim funding for the program--officially known as the Strategic Defense Initiative or SDI--to $3.2 billion or $3.56 billion. The proposals were offered as amendments to a $301-billion defense spending bill.

The narrow votes reflected a growing feeling in the Congress that, at a time of enormous deficits, the government cannot afford rapid increases in the funding of a program whose goals have not been clearly defined by the Administration.

$3.9 Billion Expected

The President had requested $5.3 billion for the program--or an increase of 73% over current funding--but the Senate is expected to approve $3.9 billion recommended by the Armed Services Committee, reflecting a 28% increase.

Later, frustrated Democrats precipitated the bitter showdown with the chamber’s Republican leadership by offering their sanctions amendment to the fiscal 1987 defense spending bill.

Senate Majority Leader Bob Dole (R-Kan.) responded by offering a substitute GOP amendment providing for weaker sanctions against South Africa combined with a measure opposed by many Democrats--$100 million in aid for the Nicaraguan rebels, known as contras .

The clash brought Senate action to a standstill. Both measures were expected to be the subject of Senate filibusters, and neither is likely to be voted on until later this week. After lawmakers failed to find a way out of the deadlock during party caucuses off the floor, the Senate recessed for the day.

The Senate will vote today on whether to bring debate on the defense bill to an early conclusion. An affirmative vote by more than 60 senators would effectively kill more than 100 pending amendments, including those on South Africa and contra aid.

Dole argued that the Democrats’ decision to offer a South African amendment violated an agreement that he had made with Sen. Edward M. Kennedy (D-Mass.). The ensuing debate quickly disintegrated into personal squabbles among some senators, beginning with a sharp clash between Dole and Kennedy.

“If a showdown is what the senator of Massachusetts wants--and that’s apparently what he wants--let’s have it,” Dole declared. “Those who are concerned about (defense spending) can wait and wait and wait until we satisfy the senator from Massachusetts.”

Sen. Barry Goldwater (R-Ariz.), chairman of the Armed Services Committee, was furious that the amendment interrupted consideration of the defense bill for fiscal 1987, which begins Oct. 1. “I think we’re in a real bad spot in this country when some foreign country is more important than the defense of the United States,” he fumed.

On the other side of the aisle, Minority Leader Robert C. Byrd (D-W.Va.) hotly objected that Dole had used the term “sneaked” to describe the Democrats’ action. He insisted that the minority party had every right to do what it did.

Sen. Lowell P. Weicker Jr. (R-Conn.), who supports strong sanctions against South Africa as proposed by the Democrats, tried unsuccessfully to play the role of peacemaker. “There is only one person who is relishing this squabbling among ourselves, and that’s Mr. (President Pieter W.) Botha in South Africa,” he said.

The first SDI amendment, offered by Sen. J. Bennett Johnston (D-La.), would have slashed the funding for the program to $3.2 billion--an increase of only 3% that was endorsed by many anti-nuclear groups. Bennett said his measure would have passed if Sen. John Heinz (R-Pa.) had not changed his vote at the last minute under pressure from his GOP colleagues.

“It’s clear that a majority of the Senate considers 3% as the right amount,” he said.

Packwood Switches Vote

The second defeated amendment, proposed by Sen. J. James Exon (D-Neb.), sought to establish a $3.56-billion level, providing for a 15% increase over the current fiscal year. Exon had voted against the Johnston proposal. Although Exon voted for his own measure, Sen. Bob Packwood (R-Ore.) switched to keep the final tally the same on both amendments.

Sen. Sam Nunn of Georgia, ranking Democrat on the Armed Services Committee, said the program had inspired “great skepticism, great disillusion and overall disbelief.” He predicted that this would be the first of many cuts in the program as it makes its way through the legislative process this year.

“This is the high-water mark for SDI,” he said. “It’s going to come down, down, down.”

On Thursday, the Democratic-controlled House will vote on a proposal to slash SDI funding to $3.1 billion. Rep. Vic Fazio (D-Sacramento), co-author of the amendment, said that the narrow Senate vote would “make it more acceptable” for House members to vote for the cut.

Administration supporters defeated the cuts by arguing that they would undermine Reagan’s position in arms control negotiations with the Soviet Union, which is seeking to negotiate a halt in SDI research.

“The eyes of the world are on this chamber,” Sen. John Warner (R-Va.) cautioned.

Cost Frequently Cited

Cost was the reason most frequently cited by Senate members for cutting the program.

Sen. William Proxmire (D-Wis.) noted that various experts have projected the total cost of the program at anywhere between $770 billion and $2 trillion. Since the President embraced the program in 1983, the annual cost has nearly tripled.

“In a nutshell, we have thrown too much money at this program too quickly,” said Proxmire. “And it is racing ahead aimlessly out of control.”

Proxmire also noted that the space shuttle catastrophe in January had limited the United States’ ability to launch a space-based nuclear defense system.