Missile defense bill falls short of launch

The 59-41 vote was one short of the 60 needed to overcome Democratic delaying tactics. It was identical to a May 13 roll call.

The legislation would order implementation of a national missile defense system as soon as it is technologically feasible.

A similar version is likely to be debated in the House later this month, where it is expected to win approval. House Speaker Newt Gingrich reiterated his support for the bill.

The legislation embraces a scaled-down version of the space-based defense shield that President Reagan proposed in 1983 and which Democrats have long derided as "Star Wars."

The existing Pentagon program provides for three years of lead time once a potential threat has been identified.

Gen. Henry Shelton, chairperson of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, made a vigorous plea on the eve of yesterday's vote for the measure's rejection - opposition both sides suggested was a factor in helping to keep it bottled up.

All 55 Senate Republicans voted for the legislation. Four Democrats also supported the program, the same ones who voted for it in May: Sens. Daniel K. Akaka and Daniel Inouye of Hawaii, Ernest F. Hollings of South Carolina, and Joseph Lieberman of Connecticut.

Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott (R-Miss.) has made the bill a top item on his 1998 agenda, and Republicans view the measure as a good issue for the upcoming midterm congressional elections.

"We are putting (the nation's) security at risk under the current policy," said Sen. Thad Cochran (R-Miss.) chief sponsor of the bill. And Senate Armed Services Committee Chairperson Strom Thurmond (R-S.C.) asked, "Can we afford not to do this?"

Cochran and other GOP sponsors cited recent nuclear tests by North Korea and Iran, and the political instability in Russia, as lending new urgency to passing such a program.

Critics of a national missile defense system say $50 billion has been wasted so far on a plan that may never work because of the difficulty of shooting missiles out of the sky. Threats from terrorists or rogue nations are more likely to come in the form of suitcase nuclear bombs or biological weapons, opponents argued.

Critics also said the program would violate arms-control agreements with Moscow.

"It will not contribute to our national security," said Sen. Carl Levin (D-Mich.) "It will weaken and jeopardize our national security."

Afterward, Levin called the strong opposition by Shelton and other Pentagon brass an essential reason why it failed to gather more Democratic support. He said he did not detect that the administration's hand had been weakened among Democrats by the Monica Lewinsky matter in arguing against the bill.

09-10-98