74 Senators Back Measure Blocking Jordan Arms Sale

A solid majority of the Republican-led Senate lined up Tuesday behind a resolution to block the Administration’s proposed weapons sale to Jordan, as Senate and House Republican leaders warned President Reagan that the plan has almost no chance of passage in Congress.

“No sophisticated weapons whatever should be sold to Jordan unless and until that nation accepts the existence of Israel and begins direct negotiations with Israel for peace,” Sen. Edward M. Kennedy (D-Mass.) said in introducing the measure. A Kennedy aide said later that the resolution will not automatically allow the sale if talks do begin.

Demonstrating the depth of congressional resistance to the plan, a total of 74 senators--45 Democrats and 29 Republicans--signed on as sponsors of the resolution by Kennedy and Sen. John Heinz (R-Pa.). A similar House resolution, expected to be introduced this week by Rep. Larry Smith (D-Fla.), has almost 250 sponsors thus far, an aide to Smith said.

Heated Political Debate

Reagan’s proposal already had sparked a heated political battle for weeks, drawing both Jordan’s King Hussein and Israeli Prime Minister Shimon Peres to Capitol Hill to argue their opposing positions. The President made his official request for the sale Monday, giving Congress 30 days in which to vote on it.

On Tuesday, Reagan continued to press for the deal in an hourlong White House session with congressional Republican leaders. The President described the sale as “essential” to creating “the conditions that would lead to a lasting peace” in the Middle East.

The Administration argues that the sale of up to $1.9 billion in advanced weapons, including fighter jets and anti-aircraft missiles, would enhance Jordan’s willingness to negotiate with Israel by making it less vulnerable to attacks by its Arab neighbors opposing the talks.

No Chance of Passage

But House Minority Leader Robert H. Michel (R-Ill.) told reporters that the deal has “no possibility whatsoever” of passing the Democratic-controlled House, and Senate Majority Leader Bob Dole (R-Kan.) called it “a bit premature.” And Dole conceded that he is not certain whether he would vote for it himself.

Anticipating a congressional defeat of the President’s plan, Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Richard G. Lugar (R-Ind.) was working behind the scenes Tuesday to fashion a compromise that would allow the sale to proceed, but only if Jordan begins peace negotiations with Israel.

Lugar told reporters that Reagan apparently believes the tide of congressional sentiment could be reversed if there were some progress soon toward convening the talks. Lugar also said that he plans to meet today with key senators to test their support for an informal proposal to tie the timing, delivery and payment terms of the sale to the start of negotiations.

“That way, a vote of disapproval (of the sale) would not be seen as a flat-out rebuke to Hussein,” an aide to Lugar said. But he added that such a compromise is likely to face strong resistance, and said: “If there is no will or consensus for such an approach, then we won’t try.”