SANCTIONS AGAINST SOUTH AFRICA PASSED BY PARTISAN HOUSE VOTE

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP89T00234R000200310010-1
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: December 23, 2016
• Document Release Date: January 23, 2013
• Sequence Number: 10
• Publication Date: August 13, 1988
• Content Type: OPEN SOURCE

/4.
Declassified and Approved For Release 2013/01/23 : CIA-RDP89T00234R000200310010-1 / "
Defense/Foreign Policy - 3%.1 Nr0
Senate Resistance Strong:
Sanctions Against South Africa
Passed by Partisan House Vote
The House Aug. 11 pushed the
United States a step closer to widen-
ing its economic war with South Af-
rica. But before tougher trade and in-
vestment sanctions tied to apartheid
can become law, House backers must
overcome forces closer to home: the
Senate, President Reagan and time.
The bill (HR 1580), approved by
a vote of 244-132, has become im-
mersed in election-year politics. And
unlike in 1986 ? when 81 House Re-
publicans broke ranks to help override
Reagan's veto of a weaker sanctions
bill ? the party line generally held
during House voting on the eve of the
Republican National Convention.
The margin fell well short of the
two-thirds needed to override the veto
the White House again threatened on
Aug. 10. Only 24 Republicans voted
for the bill.
As the 100th Congress draws to a
close, House Democrats now must
search for a way to force a vote in the
Senate, where support is far weaker.
Key Republican supporters of the
1986 sanctions ? such as Sens. Rich-
ard G. Lugar, Ind., and Nancy Landon
Kassebaum, Kan. ? have backed
away from the near-total trade em-
bargo and divestiture now being pro-
posed.
Kassebaum, for one, noted that
the Senate's "plate is very full." She
added that she has trouble seeing when
or how a vote would come, although
the Foreign Relations Committee has
scheduled a Sept. 8 markup.
House Democrats also are consid-
ering ways to avoid a Senate filibuster
while compelling a vote. One possible
tactic is to attach the sanctions bill to
a must-pass continuing appropriations
resolution that contains spending for
the Pentagon and contra aid.
In reiterating its veto threat, the
White House said it fears new sanc-
tions against South Africa would jeop-
ardize U.S.-mediated negotiations
among South Africa, Angola and Cuba
to end hostilities in Angola and grant
independence to Namibia. A cease-fire
was put into effect Aug. 8 and South
Africa was to begin withdrawing troops
?By Chuck Alston
PAGE 2294?Aug. 13, 1988
from southern Angola within the week.
As approved, the bill would pro-
hibit nearly all U.S. trade with South
Africa. It also would prohibit invest-
ments by U.S. citizens or companies
except in businesses 90 percent owned
by "South Africans economically and
politically disadvantaged by apart-
heid." (Weekly Report p. 2149)
Imports from South Africa would
be barred with three exceptions: "stra-
tegic minerals," publications, and
goods produced by businesses wholly
owned by the disadvantaged. A
controversial Banking Committee
amendment to expand the import ban
? to any item from any country, if
any part of the item originated in
South Africa ? was stripped from the
bill by the Rules Committee Aug. 10.
The bill would require the presi-
dent to retaliate against foreign com-
panies that take significant commer-
cial advantage of the U.S. sanctions. It
also would bar U.S. subsidiaries of for-
eign oil companies doing business in
South Africa from bidding on U.S. oil,
gas or coal leases.
"This comes as close to economic
warfare as you can put two nations,"
said Sam Gibbons, the Florida Demo-
crat who chairs the Ways and Means
Subcommittee on Trade.
Political Fight
Republicans were simmering as
they departed for their New Orleans
convention. "This bill is not really
about fighting apartheid, but about do-
mestic politics," complained Dan Bur-
ton, R-Ind. Democrats have cast the
issue in moral terms, the foreign equiva-
lent of the domestic civil-rights battle.
GOP members doubt the usefulness of
sanctions, but fear Democrats will use
Republican opposition to label the
party as anti-civil rights.
William S. Broomfield, Ill., the
ranking Republican on the Foreign Af-
fairs Committee, accused the Demo-
crats of "trying to construct the Duka-
kis-Jackson platform" at the "11th hour
before the Republican convention."
Republicans carped about the
three hours and 15 minutes allowed
for debate (they wanted more), the
three amendments permitted (they
Copyright 1988 Congressional Quarterly loc.
Reproduction prohibited in whole or in part ei.cept by editorial clients.
_
wanted more) and the timing of floor
consideration (they wanted it after the
convention recess).
In attacking the bill, Republicans
noted it would take jobs from South
African blacks and American workers
? points the Democrats conceded.
The sanctions would eliminate U.S.
exports to South Africa, worth $1.13
billion in 1987, while forcing American
companies to sell nearly $1 billion in
assets at "fire-sale prices," according
to the administration.
"Sanctions hurt, but apartheid
kills ? and it kills violently," coun-
tered Ronald V. Dellums, D-Calif., the
bill's original sponsor.
Speaking with passion, Dellums
recounted his 18-year effort to enact
sanctions. He warned his colleagues,
"Do not underestimate the power of
this issue" in domestic politics, and re-
jected its labeling as conservative, lib-
eral, Democratic or Republican. "It's
an American issue, as American as ap-
ple pie," he said. House Democrats,
and many Republicans, rose to ap-
plaud Dellums at the end of his speech.
The House rejected three Repub-
lican attempts to amend the bill:
? Ey 155-236, an amendment by
Broomfield allowing the president to
waive the bill's sanctions if West Ger-
many, Japan, France, Britain and It-
aly do not adopt similar penalties.
? By 125-259, an amendment by
Burton to strip the new sanctions and
to exempt from the current import
ban products made by black-owned
businesses. It would have earmarked
some foreign aid monies for minority
business development in South Africa.
? By 169-214, an amendment by Jon
Kyl, Ariz., to allow military and intelli-
gence cooperation with South Africa if
deemed in the "best interest of the
United States" by the president. The
bill would ban all such sharing of intel-
ligence, except in the case of Cuban
troop activities in Angola. The amend-
ment was adopted by the Armed Serv-
ices Committee but turned down by
Rules, which coordinated differences
among seven House committees.
CORRECTION
Sanctions on South Africa.
Weekly Report p. 2150, right column
of box, second full paragraph: Mobil
Oil Corp. says it has a position oppos-
ing a provision extending sanctions to
U.S. subsidiaries of foreign oil compa-
nies operating in South Africa.
Declassified and Approved For Release 2013/01/23: CIA-RDP89T00234R000200310010-1