The House : Test-Ban Treaty

The House adopted, 268 to 148, a non-binding resolution urging President Reagan to resume talks with the Soviets for a comprehensive nuclear test-ban treaty. A similar measure was adopted by the Senate two years ago. Its rationale is that the arms race would end on both sides if new technologies could not be tested, assuming the ban was mutually verifiable.

In addition to seeking summit negotiations toward an end to all testing, the measure (HJ Res 3) called for Senate ratification of two treaties banning underground nuclear explosions of 150 kilotons or more. Former Presidents Richard M. Nixon and Gerald R. Ford signed those treaties with the Soviets but the Senate has never ratified them.

The resolution goes counter to the Administration’s strategy of negotiating deep cuts in Soviet and American nuclear weapons as a precondition of banning tests of new ones. Also, the Administration terms it impossible to adequately verify Soviet compliance with a comprehensive test-ban treaty.

Members voting yes favored the resolution.

How They Voted Yea Nay No vote Rep. Beilenson (D) x Rep. Berman (D) x Rep. Fiedler (R) x Rep. Moorhead (R) x Rep. Waxman (D) x

Marcos’ Agents in Contempt

By a vote of 352 to 34, the House approved a contempt-of-Congress citation against New York real estate broker Ralph Bernstein for failing to cooperate with a House subcommittee investigation of U.S. property holdings of former Philippines President Ferdinand E. Marcos and his wife, Imelda.

Separately, the House also voted contempt charges against lawyer Joseph Bernstein, who joined his brother, Ralph, in declining to provide information to the Asian and Pacific affairs subcommittee, which is trying to determine whether the Marcoses used U.S. foreign aid to buy real estate in Manhattan, Long Island and other locations.

Although only Joseph is a lawyer, both Bernsteins invoked attorney-client privilege in defying Congress. Federal courts now will decide whether to uphold the contempt citations, which are criminal charges.

How They Voted Yea Nay No vote Rep. Beilenson (D) x Rep. Berman (D) x Rep. Fiedler (R) x Rep. Moorhead (R) x Rep. Waxman (D) x