Rep. Aspin Backs MX Funding as ‘Bargaining Chip’

Democratic Rep. Les Aspin, the influential chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, said Sunday that he will back the Reagan Administration’s drive to free $1.5 billion in construction money for 21 MX missiles, because the United States needs the weapon as a “bargaining chip” in its arms control negotiations with the Soviet Union.

“I don’t see how Congress can vote against those 21 missiles without weakening the American negotiating position,” Aspin said, though he also dismissed the MX as only “marginally needed” to bolster the U.S. arsenal.

With the Senate scheduled to vote twice this week on release of funds for the controversial weapons system, the Wisconsin Democrat said on NBC-TV’s “Meet the Press” that the outcome of a life-or-death series of congressional votes on the MX is still “too close to call.”

The views of Aspin, a moderate on defense issues who recently assumed control of the historically hawkish congressional panel, are widely respected on both sides of Capitol Hill and his support could tip some undecided votes President Reagan’s way. Last year, Aspin helped forge a congressional compromise that kept MX funding alive, but under wraps, until now.

If funding for the 21 missiles survives the Senate tests, it will go to the House next week for another pair of votes that should also be close. Aspin said a head-count of his House colleagues showed that more supported funding than opposed it, but so many were still undecided that passage was questionable.

The Associated Press said Sunday that its own Senate survey indicated that opponents and backers of MX funding could probably count on 41 votes on each side, with 18 senators still undecided. So unsure is the outcome that Reagan himself is scheduled to go to Capitol Hill on Tuesday to lobby Republican senators over lunch.

Weekend Protest Rallies

With an eye toward the upcoming crucial votes, MX opponents staged a series of protest rallies in several cities around the nation over the weekend. In Colorado, for example, comedienne Lily Tomlin gave a performance as part of a three-day disarmament conference at the University of Denver to raise money for anti-nuclear activities.

On Saturday, the U.S. Catholic Conference, which represents the nation’s 285 Roman Catholic bishops, sent letters to all members of Congress urging them to oppose the MX as a drain on funds that could go to help the poor.

While Aspin promised to back Reagan’s funding request for the 21 missiles, he predicted that Congress would significantly slash construction funds for another 48 missiles the Administration has included in its 1986 budget plans. “The bidding starts at about 24, I would guess,” he said.

Pentagon Budget

On the overall 1986 defense budget, Aspin predicted that the Pentagon would have to settle for far less than the $285 billion it has requested. He said Defense Secretary Caspar W. Weinberger “overplayed his hand” and blew a chance to win some concessions by refusing to compromise on his demand that the defense budget, after inflation, grow by nearly 6% next year.

Instead, Aspin said, a consensus appeared to be developing in Congress that the Pentagon budget, like many other programs, should be permitted to increase only by the rate of inflation.

Indeed, the Republican-controlled Senate Budget Committee defied the President last week and chopped about $11 billion from the Pentagon’s budget request.