European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - April 5, 1987, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 4 the stars and stripes ski spawns Bill for new armed service by Chuck Vinc Washington bomb Washington frustrated by administration indecision and confusion about the feasibility of deploying he strategic defense initiative four conservative lawmakers introduced a Bill thursday to create a new armed service to deploy and operate nuclear missile de lenses. The Bill introduced by sen. Malcol Wallop d-wyo., would create another armed service called the defense Force to defend the United states against All Aerial threats including ballistic missiles cruise missiles and aircraft. Pentagon officials declined to com ment on the Bill it s shacking to note that there is no where in our armed forces the Mission to defend this nation against the biggest military threat we face ballistic mis Siles Wallop . Orrin Hatch. Rulah rep Lack Kemp . And rep. Jim Conner  a Are co sponsors of the Bill. The Bill mandates the speedy production of weapon that the Pentagon has bad on the drawing Board for years bul which we have not had because of indecision he  Bill would exempt the defense Force from Pentagon procurement regu lations for at least 10 years Wallop said so the organization s minion would t be bogged Down and made prohibitively expensive by the rules regulations and customs that have made the Pentagon the subject of great   Bill was bom out of immense frustration with the administration s handling of the ski program. I the past few months Many supporters Anama and Mexico were on a list of countries  has certified As being co operative ii War against  certification could Cost a nation . Foreign and other benefits. But Day s votes were nothing More than symbolic. A Flay period set aside for the Senate to void the Zerti tons expired at Midnight wednesday. The r could however move later to make its actions Active. Elms called the administration s assertion that the expressed in Blic the objection to our Bill s Mandolf to design weapons and procedure Job defend inc United Stales against Pfendl military threats As de fined Bbbie Best intelligence available indication of potential opposition a thursday 01 the House armed ices research and development sub in Milec voted to Cut president Rea Gan s fiscal 1988 funding request Tor so research from $5.2 billion to s3.2 billion according to a staffer for courier. The subcommittee also rejected a proposal by courier to restore the original request the staffer said. Ministration of fighting efforts three countries have fully cooperated in the War against drugs false and  but other senators including Richard Lugar r-lnd.,called the drive to reject the administration s findings a counterproductive exercise in Mexico bashing that could seriously damage \ �. Relations with a close neighbor and end All cooperation in fighting drug ship ments. On Panama Helms said that if anyone believes that country has fully cooperated in the last year i want to take them to new York and sell them an interest inthe Brooklyn Bridge he said there Are 125 Banks in Panama with $30billion in deposits and he contended that much of the total represents Large amounts of american Cash from drug deals. Other senators said Panama recently Hai passed Laws aimed at cracking Down on Money laundering and pointed to the strategic importance of the Panama canal and the presence of 4,500 . Troops there the 1986 Law states the president Triuett certify each year that each of the listed countries has cooperated fully with the United slates or has taken adequate Steps on its own in preventing narcotic drugs from reaching the United states and has acted to Stop Money laundering operations aimed at hiding the origins of drug related  president is permitted one escape Hatch the ability to certify that National Security consideration makes it unwise to invoke the punitive sections of the Law even though the country involved May not redeemed to be fully cooperative. Reagan gave National Security certifications to two nations Laos and Lebanon veto overridden cos funding wait for states Washington a billions of Federal Highway and mass transit dollars arc flowing again after being bottled up for six months by congressional disputes and a dramatic standoff Between presi Dent Reagan and Congress. The Money assures thai hundreds of Highway projects from widening Rural roads to closing gaps in the nation s interstate system Wilt not be delay further according to state transported officials. In some slates Highway Siruc Tion Money was about to dry they said. The is billion five year  Bill enacted after Senate vote thursday also signs the end of the nationwide 55 a tsp ced limit allowing states to raise Tler Maxi mum speeds to 65 Mph on Kal inter state highways. Within minutes aft Rac Senate agreed to override Ragab Teclo of the measure the Federal Hin Way administration began notifying Slak s on How much Money is Avail but some states were a a cd to draw on the Federal assistance curly As Friday replacing slate Moncor borrowed funds hey had wed in Rofini months 10 keep some Highway building projects  months of uncertainly those Orange and Stock Road work ahead signs will be springing up across the nil lion like april Flowers said Daniel Henson st., president of the american Road  builders Asso i Aliona Alj plight Reagan called the  Buster it actually represents of about $1.9 billion in Road expenditures this fiscal year red with fiscal 1986 when 115.4.lion was authorized. In All $13.5 billion is authorized for Highway construction during he 1937 fiscal year that began last october Al though states will be allowed to actually obligate Only $12.5 billion because of congressionally imposed budget restraints Federal Highway Agency spokes Man Eric Bolton said. The Money comes from a Highway Trust fund which collects a 9 cent a Gal Lon gasoline tax and truck  wrangling prevented the passage of the Highway Oil lost sum Mer in Lime for the Start of fiscal 1987, and slate Highway officials say the six month delay in Federal assistance already has caused the postponement of s3 Bil lion in Road building projects. We re very relieved that this Bill ism Taw Sard Lester Lamm executive director of the Highway users federation a lobbying group that represents various Highway interests. Highway users have been paying Road and Gaso line tunes. But they Haven t Goll Enany new construction projects Oul  mass transit officials also expressed Relief since the legislation includes authorization for $18 billion in transit spending through fiscal 1991, including a continuation of badly needed operating subsidies. We re elated snid june Kilpatrick spokeswoman for the american Public transit association. It s been 18months in limbo the Highway Bill includes authority for transit agencies across the country to spend s3,5 billion this fiscal year about$300 million less than last year Kilpatrick  Overall Federal assistance program for mass transit is largely left intact Al though the Reagan administration had sought to sharply Cut operating subsidies Ana Money for new subway projects such As the Juso million for the proposed Losangeles subway system. The transit spending was cited by Rea Gan As one of the major reasons Tor his  a statement thursday transportation Secretary Elizabeth Dole expressed disappointment Over the Senate vote saying distribution of transit Money is no fair to the vast majority of Ameri cans because 11 cities receive 80 per cent of the Money. The five year Bill Calls for j6s.j Bil lion for Highway construction through the 1991 fiscal year. Much of that will be Money used to finish some of the last gaps of the interstate Highway system that marked its 30th anniversary last year Congress had worked for More than two years to produce a Compromise High Way Bill Only to have it vetoed last week by the president. During that Lime state shave had to find other sources of Money. Some have used funds left Over from pre Vious years while others began borrow the delay in Federal Money according to state Highway officials had threatened serious delays in a number of major interstate projects including construction on 1-394 West of downtown Minneapolis and 1-90 across Lake Washington East of  of other Highway projects such As plans to Widen slate route 121 i Illinois or Widen stale route 2 Between Toledo and port Clinton in Ohio also were placed in jeopardy. While most of the Highway projects Are considered non controversial More Money for them will now become Avail Able. They include a controversial  Bil lion Central artery project in Boston which state and City officials claim should be considered part of the inter state Highway  smaller sums of Federal Money Are going for assorted projects of special interest to various members of Congress