The House : Chile Sanctions

The House rejected, 191 for and 206 against, a non-binding resolution (H Con. Res. 52) urging the Administration to sever most official ties with Chile until the right-wing dictatorship of Gen. Augosto Pinochet gives way to democratic rule.

In part, the United States was to have ended joint naval maneuvers with Chile, cut off all economic aid except humanitarian assistance, continued to ban military aid, and continued voting against loans supplied by international institutions.

Supporter Tom Lantos (D-San Mateo) said: “Human rights happen to be indivisible. Human rights violations in Chile must be condemned. Human rights violations in the Soviet Union must be condemned.”

Opponent Toby Roth (R-Wis.) said: “If we wish to have an influence in the democratic evolution of Chile, it is only logical that we keep open our lines of communication and our lines of influence.”

Members voting yes favored a U.S. policy of isolating Chile as long as it remains a totalitarian state.

How They Voted Yea Nay No vote Rep. Beilenson (D) x Rep. Berman (D) x Rep. Dixon (D) x Rep. Levine (D) x Rep. Waxman (D) x

Nicaragua Plan

By a vote of 219 for and 206 against, the House approved the Democratic plan for dealing with Nicaragua’s Marxist Sandinista government and the American-backed contras who are waging a guerrilla war against that regime.

In related votes, reported below, the House rejected contras funding proposals put forth by President Reagan and House Republicans. The voting sequence ended when the House rejected the basic legislative vehicle (HJ Res. 239), thus killing Reagan’s request for fiscal 1985 money to resume U.S. funding of the contras. The issue will resurface later this year when Congress takes up Reagan’s next request for aid to the contras.

The Democratic plan emphasized non-military tactics, such as economic sanctions and regional diplomacy, as the primary means of persuading the Sandinistas to replace totalitarianism with democracy. However, it made clear that a lack of progress toward democracy would trigger an American-backed military response.

Some $4 million was earmarked under this plan for the Contadora peace initiative being advocated by some of Nicaragua’s neighbors, and $10 million was to be funneled through international agencies to Nicaraguan refugees.

Members voting yes favored the Democratic plan for dealing with the Sandinistas and the contras.

How They Voted Yea Nay No vote Rep. Beilenson (D) x Rep. Berman (D) x Rep. Dixon (D) x Rep. Levine (D) x Rep. Waxman (D) x

Reagan Proposal

The House rejected, 180 for and 248 against, President Reagan’s proposal that $14 million be appropriated in fiscal 1985 aid to the contras. The vote continued the ban Congress imposed last year on American financial support of the contras’ insurgency against Nicaragua’s Sandinista regime.

Under Reagan’s plan, the $14 million was to have been spent for non-military purposes during a cooling-off period in which bilateral peace talks were to have been conducted. If the talks yielded no progress after 60 days, the money could have become military aid to the contras.

Members voting yes supported the President’s plan.

How They Voted Yea Nay No vote Rep. Beilenson (D) x Rep. Berman (D) x Rep. Dixon (D) x Rep. Levine (D) x Rep. Waxman (D) x

GOP Measure

By a vote of 213 for and 215 against, the House rejected a contras funding proposal that House Republican Leader Robert Michel (R-Ill.) offered in hopes of salvaging some form of fiscal 1985 aid to the Nicaraguan rebels.

The GOP plan provided that the $14 million be spent on non-military purposes under the direction of the U.S. Agency for International Development. It called for bilateral negotiations between the contras and the Sandinistas, rather than the multilateral Contadora negotiations advocated by House Democratic leaders.

Members voting yes favored the Republican plan.

How They Voted Yea Nay No vote Rep. Beilenson (D) x Rep. Berman (D) x Rep. Dixon (D) x Rep. Levine (D) x Rep. Waxman (D) x