Reagan Wants Missile Funds : Says 21 MXs Are Crucial to Success of Arms Talks
President Reagan asked Congress today to release funds to build 21 new MX missiles, saying the weapons are crucial to the success of U.S.-Soviet arms control negotiations opening in Geneva next week.
Without the missiles, which he calls “Peacekeepers,” Reagan said “our chances of reaching an equitable agreement with the Soviet Union to reduce significantly the size of our nuclear arsenals are substantially lowered.”
In a report asking that $1.5 billion be released for a second group of missiles, Reagan warned Congress that if it delays or eliminates the missile program, the move “would send an unmistakable signal to the Soviet Union that we do not possess the resolve required” to maintain a viable defense and a policy of deterrence.
Reagan’s formal report to Congress will be followed by the introduction of a resolution that sets a timetable designed to force House and Senate votes on the MX issue shortly after the talks begin in Geneva.
Start your day right
Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
