European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - May 15, 1992, Darmstadt, Hesse                                House panel cuts Pentagon budget Friday May 15, 1992 the stars and stripes Page 5 by the new York times Washington the House armed services committee on wednesday approved a $274 billion military budget Bill increasing spending for ballistic missile defences. The vote was 47 to 8. Overall the measure provides $7 billion less than the Bush administration wanted but it makes few major changes in the White House plan for the fiscal year beginning oct. 1. The Cost cuts came mainly from reducing excess inventories consultant fees and a Pentagon expansion plan. The House is expected to take up the Bill in the first week of june and the Senate to prepare its version in late june or Early july. House and Senate negotiators will then Hammer out a Compromise. Appropriations Bills will be adopted separately. The Senate has already endorsed the administrations $281 billion request although it must still decide How that Money will be spent. Consequently the House and Senate will probably split the in i my stars and stripes10 years ago May 15,1982 a sound recordings made when president Kennedy was assassinated in 1963 a do not support a conclusion that there was a second gunman Quot said a National Academy of sciences report. 20years ago May 15,1972 a after years of trying air Force pilots knocked out the vital Thanh Hoa a a dragon a jaw Bridge South of Hanoi and it should have a an immediate effect on fighting in the South a Pentagon sources said. 30years ago May 15,1962 a the United states continued its Quot precautionary Quot buildup to protect Laos in spite of reports that communist military activity in the country had ground to a halt. 40years ago May 15,1952 a Secretary of state Dean g. Acheson said the United states is determined to maintain the position of the Western Powers in Berlin and to protect the Western zones of Germany. World war50 years ago today 15 may1.9 .4 .2 the kerch Peninsula on the Southern soviet front Falls to Germany a 11th army costing the red army 150,000 soldiers in the Pacific Australia sends reinforcements to beef up the defences of port moresby new Guinea. The United states begins gasoline rationing in 17 states limiting Drivers of Quot nonessential vehicles to three Gallons a week. Difference on the total lawmakers said. With the total amount settled lawmakers will next Wrangle Over programs. The House panel a approved $4.3 billion for the strategic defense initiative a $1.1 billion Cut from the administrations request but $700 million More than the committee approved last year for missile defences. The Senate and House ultimately settled on $4.2 billion in the current budget. A conditionally approved the Pentagon a request for 20 b-2 stealth bombers and then halt the program. Congress already has paid for 15 of the radar evading planes. The planets Price tag has risen from $430 million per plane in january 1987 to $2.3 billion last january. A accelerated work on the Navy a new Carrier based a attack plane adding $575 million to the Pentagon a request at the expense of the air forces f-22 and the Navy a Fa-18 fighters. A agreed to Cut about 67,000 Reserve troops rather than the 116,000 that the Pentagon wanted to Cut. Samuel k. Skinner Skinner pays travel Bills by the Washington Post Washington White House chief of staff Samuel k. Skinner recently reimbursed the government $3,275.50 in travel expenses aides said wednesday. The Money was repaid for four trips after White House lawyers told him that some of his trips while Secretary of transportation could be viewed As More personal than official the aides said. Skinners reimbursements came april 30, three Days before his travels As Cabinet Secretary were the subject of a critical 60 minutes television report. Skinner was Secretary of transportation from Early 1989 until he replaced John h. Sununu last december. The controversy Over Sununu a mixing of personal political and official travel on government jets was a Factor in his resignation. The Skinner reimbursements cover trips where he combined official stops with vacation or weekends in Chicago or in Florida playing Golf an aide said. As 60 minutes reported he often used costly government jets rather than a cheaper commercial air service. During his three years in the Cabinet he made 60 of his 150 trips on commercial airlines. Firms sold technology to Iran Iraq Washington a american companies got government approval to sell technology with potential military use to Iran in recent years even though the state department steadily has labelled that nation a supporter of terrorism classified documents show. Ten of the companies also sold equipment to Iraq with . Permission according to documents and experts say the material ended up in iraqis nuclear and missile programs. Government and private experts said Iran is working hard to rebuild its military in Hopes of becoming the dominant Power in the persian Gulf Region. Honeywell inc. And Rockwell International corp. Are among the companies that legally sold $40 million in computers and other items with both civilian and military uses to Iraq and Iran. Some of the equipment was sold during the eight year Iran Iraq War which ended in August 1988. The technology was sold to Iran from late 1987 through september 1991, the period for which data Are available. Equipment was exported to Iraq from 1985 until the iraqi invasion of Kuwait insoles to Iran Here Are the top three companies that sold advanced technology to Iran. A Siemens corp., new York $21 million in computers communications equipment electronic assemblies integrated circuits and other items. A Honeywell inc., Minneapolis $10 million in computers. A Honeywell Bull inc., Billerica mass., $5.2 million in computers some for a National census project. Sas August 1990, when the Bush administration halted the sales. Government licenses granted by the Commerce department Are required to Export such dual use technology. Companies say they Are assured by foreign buyers that items wont be used for military purposes and they rely on the Commerce department to Check for problems. Some companies say they also do a lot of checking themselves. The Commerce department says the watchdog Burden is shared by the government and the companies. But critics said it allows dangerous High tech exports to be approved. Quot the government has the first responsibility and clearly the government has been somewhat remiss in exercising its responsibility a said Stephen Bryan a former defense official. Thirty tour companies were identified last month As having sold advanced equipment to Iraq from 1985-90. The equipment went to Saddam Hussein s nuclear and missile programs before his troops invaded Kuwait in August 1990. Separate Commerce department documents showed that of the 34 companies 10 also exported similar gear to Iran. Those 10 companies received . Licenses to ship computers communications equipment navigational instruments and technical models to Iran from late 1987 through september 1991. Companies Selling equipment to both Iran and Iraq included Sackman associates $423,200 in sales to Iran Carl Zeiss inc., $85,000 Tek Troix inc., $63,835 Uniss corp., $13,900 and data general corp., $10,000. Subcommittee head questions Agency s need for list of Gays sought by Security officials after Johnson a management analyst for Fema lure 2194 Days of War w. H. Smith in Ushers inc world almanac Book of world a ii Bison books corp. 1901 a Washington a a House subcommittee chairman said wednesday he would ask Federal emergency management Agency officials to explain Why they forced an employee to produce a list of homosexual co workers. A it is an outrageous invasion of privacy a said rep. Barney Frank d-mass., one of two acknowledged homosexuals in Congress. Frank chairman of the House judiciary administrative Law subcommittee said he hoped to Convene a hearing next week to determine Why Fema officials forced Jerald Johnson who is Gay to identify fellow homosexuals in the Agency. Frank said he would demand that Fema destroy the list which Johnson 32, says he provided the Agency As a condition of winning approval to serve a special one month detail in Poland. In a statement Fema director Wallace e. Stickney said the list was Only Sugiu by Schumy Umulis aider Jonns ii a management analyst for Fema claimed that other Fema employees holding Security clearances were homosexual. The Agency a Security office was concerned that these employees had concealed their sexual orientation and were vulnerable to blackmail Stickney said. The director said that he has not seen the list which remains locked in a vault. Femat a request for he list a did not violate any Laws or regulation a Stickney said. A the facts show that homosexuals can be selected for very senior positions in our Agency a Stickney said. A they receive Security clearances As Well. Performance is what counts in Fema not sexual  Frank said that he wants to question Stickney about his attitudes on Security risks posed by  Bill s veto will stand Washington a the Senate failed wednesday to override president Bush a veto of a Bill to limit spending on congressional elections and substitute Public dollars for special interest Money. The 57-42 vote a Short of the two thirds majority needed to override Bush a veto of the Bill saturday gave him his 28th straight Victory in veto showdowns with the democratic controlled Congress. The Bill would have Cut the role of special interest political action committees by half. It would have offered House candidates Between $200,000 and $250,000 in Federal Matching funds and Senate candidates Between $300,000 and $1.4 million