The Nation - News from July 9, 1985

Charging that a Carter Administration study grossly overestimated the nation’s need to stockpile critical materials in case of war, the Reagan Administration announced it is slashing its reserve goals and plans to sell off $2.5 billion in surplus materials. The White House said the stocks being declared as surplus would be sold over a five-year period to minimize the impact on commodity markets. It said an interagency group also would try to “ensure that the stockpile sales do not cause undue market disruptions.”