House Backs Death Penalty Authority in Espionage Cases
The House, in its first death penalty vote in several years, voted 320 to 101 today to urge that the 1986 defense bill include authorization for the death penalty in spy cases.
The vote was intended to instruct House members who were meeting with senators to work out a compromise version of the defense authorization bill.
The action reaffirmed the House position taken late last month when the House passed its version of the defense bill. At that time, however, the amendment providing for the death penalty was approved by voice vote only, despite the efforts of some Republicans to have a recorded vote taken.
Rep. Dan Lungren (R-Long Beach) said today’s vote is the first time the House has taken an “up-or-down vote on the death penalty” since 1977. He complained that the House Judiciary Committee has bottled up all bills to restore the death penalty.
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