DEMOCRATIC LIBERALS IN SENATE DELAY VOTE ON INCREASING MILITARY AID TO EL SALVADOR

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP90-00552R000605780002-5
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 23, 2010
• Sequence Number: 2
• Publication Date: March 30, 1984
• Content Type: OPEN SOURCE

Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/08/23 :CIA-RDP90-005528000605780002-5
AFTI CLE ArP~iEL
cr; PACE~~,~
WALL STREET JOURNAL
30 J~9arch 1984
Democratic liberals in Senate- Delay Vote
0-ri Increasing ~7ilitary Aid to El Salvador
BJ' DA\'ID RuvExs
S,Cf(FCAOTICT Of THE ~~?ALLSTREETJOURNAL
t'1:ASHINGT01:-Senate Democratic lib-
erals, lacking the votes to reduce new rtiili-
tary aid to El Sah'ador, are exacting a price
by insistiria on debate that will prevent any
final action until next week.
On a 72-23 rol]?call vote, the Republican-
controlled chamber overwhelmingly de-
~, ,
~~ third instance involved sporadic sniper fire
at a Salvadoran naval base at La Union, ac-
cording to the testimony.
A4r. Kennedy has prepared an amend-
ment that would cut funding to 521 million,
but his proposal yesterday was directed at
tightening congressional authority over the
use of L'.S. citi?ilian or military personnel for
combat in Central America.
former official urged more military aid for
E1 Salvador, according to those present.
But he described u-ider CIA contacts than
pre~~ously disclosed u~th as mam? as nine.to-
10 Salvadoran -officers on the intelJ~ence
agency's payroll. according to sources..
Those attendin the briefing were asked
not to Iaentt ~ e former officer.
a.va or ast week. Col, I~~Q1~C~tZpa?a
c ief of the Treasury Police, said the accu.
sations were being made by a Col. Roberto
Santivanze. Air. Carranza, who~,s on~Qf.
those accused of being on the. CI~pavr~ll.:.
denied then that he was. a pai~nfIIrmailL
As a former head of a .secret intelliaen~e
unit, hZr. Santivanie,had access tQjpfSlT~12:
tSon on a.range of, activity w~t.~j~ t~.~(llj.;L;
tarv: ~ -
foaled the first in a series of amendments to ~~ Despite some dispute about the language,
be offered by Sen. Edward Kennedy. But the I he said the provision didn't prohibit the de-
>,lassachusetts liberal and other Democrats ! Plo}.-Went of military trainers and advisers
appear confident they can stall approval of 'currently in El .Salvador. Unlike the 1i'ar
the aid before the weekend. Powers Act, however, it wouldn't have given
"1Ve're being pinched," said a State De? ~ the president even an initial 60-day period to
partment official,. and Republican leader- send troops into hostilities without congres-
shipsources were resigned last night that no siona] authority.
action would be taken before Monday. As first offered, the amendment applied
"You can table the amendment, but you , to American personnel in Honduras, EI Sal?
can't table the issue," Tor. Kennedy said. I ~ vador and Nicaragua. When this draft was
Fueling the debate is resentment toward the ' I quickly tabled on a 71-20 roll call, Sen. Ken-
agreement .struck last week by the GOP
leadership and senior Democrau on a com-
promise 561.5 million funding level for E]
Salvador.
Taken with funds already appropriated
for El Salvador, the 561.8 million increase
would bring total military aid to 5126.6 mil- j
lion for fiscal 1984 ending Sept. 30, compared
uZt,~ 581.3 million in fiscal 1983 and 582 mil?
]ion in fiscal 1982.
This 561.8 million proposal represents
about two-thirds of the Reagan administra?
lion's initial 592.8 million request. The ~
2greement followed private talks between
the administration, )?4ajority Leader Howard ~
Baker of Tennessee, and Sen. Daniel Inotiye
of Hawaii, ran~:ing Democrat on the Appro-
priations Subcommittee on Foreign Opera-
tions. Though Senate Minority Leader Rob?
ert Bvrd of West Virginia subsequently said
he supports the compromise, the agreement
irritated party liberals who only hours be-
fore had pressed the caucus on the issue and
wun xppv,nuneu, u, a gash ,vr~e w ue;p ae? ; T)J~ Senate floor action came as leading
velop a position. ;members in both chambers met in a private
In an effort to untangle itself last night, j briefing u*ith a former senior miiitarv_offi-.
the GOP leadership won adoption of the ! ~ cial in El Salvador. The former official has
lower 561.8 million figure on a voice vote. ~ Q~voked controv_ersv because of his de-
nedy submitted a new version modified to
drop Honduras. By an almost identical mar-
gin, this lost on a direct vote late in the=day,
with only four Republicans. joining 19 Demo-
oats, who were opposed by Nir. B~~d and
Mr. Inouye.
The delay is an annoyance for the admin-
istration, which still must contend with the
Democratic-controlled House. P.ep. Clarence
Long (D., MdJ ,chairman of the House Ap?
propriations Subcommittee on Foreign Oper-
ations, is scheduled to leave today for El
Salvador and Honduras.
"I'm keeping an open mind," said Mr.
Long. "I'm troubled by the aspect of
whether any amount of money will do any
good." i
Though there is speculation that the State
Department hopes to strike an agreement
with Rep. Long. to increase the current level
of military aid to El Salvador by 599 million,
the administration said no agreement had
been reached.
This amounted to only tentative approval
since the amendment w?as treated as a revi?
pion in the original text of the bill, and still
is amendable next week.
The debate came as Sen. James Sasser
~D.. Tern.l released written testimony by
the Defense Department disclosing three in-
cicients in the pest five months when Ameri-
car, troops were fired upon in El Salvador.
Tho:;gh no U.S. usual*.ies occurred, in two
:a,?~~ insurgent forces attacked a San Aii?
-.... can,; vrl;ere 22 A~, ,~~ r.,,d Na~~~ special
_. ,,nz per. nn._ ... stationed. The
scri loT>_Q.~oI'r!Ip_tion in fhe SalyadoLmili-
tary_ as well as ties between the CIA and ,a.
_s_enior officer .allegedly linked_..to_:_deaih
squads"operating in_ the Central American
nation.
The official has been talking in recent
u~eel:s to reporters and congressmen nn the
condition that his name isn't disc?^~ ` '. His
credibility has been attached because of
funds he received from a private organiza?
tion critical of the current policy, yet he still
is regarded with interest in Congress. The
Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/08/23 :CIA-RDP90-005528000605780002-5