BALTIMORE SUN, OCTOBER 15, 1971
SENATE PANEL CUTS MILLIONS IN AID,
PLANS TO SUSPEND PAKISTAN HELP
Washington. Trimming millions of dollars in across-the-board cuts from president Nixon’s foreign aid requests, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee agreed yesterday to suspend all assistance to Pakistan.
The committee also remarked a special $85 million aid fund for Israel but postponed Final work on the $35 billion authorization measure until the House votes next week on an end to war amendment.
Individual members gave the data to newsmen. But Senator J. W. Fulbright (D.. Ark.), the chairman, and committee aides refused to confirm Figures until a final markup session, sometime next week.
As related by senators, the committee voted 20 per cent across -the board cuts in the Military Assistance Program, in development loans and in supporting assistance.
Senator Jacob Javits (R.N.Y.) reported the committee added an $85 million supporting assistance loan for Israel after it had made its general cut.
He and Senator Frank Church (D.. Idaho) said the committee also voted a 15 per cent reduction in funds for the Alliance for progress in Latin America.
Church said the provision on Pakistan would close down aid of every kindmilitary, economic, grants, loans and sales-until such time as the president certifies to Congress that Pakistan is co-operating in bringing peace to the Indian subcontinent and is allowing refugees now in India to return peacefully to their homes in East Pakistan.
Mr. Church said the cutoff would apply to aid now in the pipeline to Pakistan as well as that scheduled for the future.
The Pakistan aid involves $118 million for economic development assistance programs and $5 million in arms.
The voting came a day after the committee voted to put a ceiling on aid to Cambodia, an action that the State Department said could seriously threaten the ability of that South-East Asian nation to defend itself.
Series of tie votes Yesterday’s action, cutting the U. S. military aid to other nation from $705 million to $565 million, was taken after efforts to reduce the program even further failed on a series of 6-to-6 tie votes.
The tiebreaker, Senator Clifford Case (R., N. J.), said the cut actually represented a ‘victory of sorts for the hawks.”
“There were people who wanted to cut more,” Mr. Case said.
“I think this represented a moderate reaction to the feeling in the country, that were trying to do too much around the world,” Mr. Case said.
The percentage cut will force the pentagon to decide where to make the reductions in the list of foreign beneficiaries.
The only exceptions will be a number of specific reductions made earlier by the committee.
At the state Department, the press officer, Robert J. McCloskey. said the administration should not have its hands Lied by congressionally imposed ceilings on aid funds or on the number of American officials in Cambodia.
Tie was reacting to the committee vote Wednesday imposing a S250 miliion limit on military and economic aid to Cambodia or this fiscal year.
The committee also voted to limit the American civilian and military personnel in Cambodia to 200.
Referring to a letter sent Wednesday to the Committee by the acting Secretary of state. John Irwin, Mr. McCloskey said the administration feels the minimum amount of aid necessary is $330 million.
This figure, Mr. McCloskey said, “is essential to help Cambodia consolidate its independence.”
Mr. McCloskey said Mr. Irwin pointed out in his letter that the president must retain as well his authority to provide more aid if an emergency arises.
The pentagon had asked for the authorization of funds for military aid to a total of 46 nations.