Democrats Fail to Force Gulf Policy Vote
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WASHINGTON — Senate Democrats narrowly failed today to force the Senate to take up a non-binding resolution urging the Administration to temporarily shelve its controversial Persian Gulf policy.
The 57-42 vote was three shy of the 60 votes needed to cut off debate and get the resolution up for a vote, and Democratic leader Robert C. Byrd of West Virginia scheduled another attempt for Tuesday.
Late Wednesday, the House lodged a largely symbolic protest against the policy by voting for a 90-day delay in the “re-flagging” and U.S. Navy protection promised Kuwait for 11 oil tankers.
White House spokesman Marlin Fitzwater said today that the vote Wednesday by the House “represents the kind of sidelines diplomacy that hurts U.S. foreign policy.”
“The House wants to continue a free flow of oil; they want to end the war; they want peace and stability; they want the cooperation of our friends and allies, but they don’t want to take responsibility,” he said.
Although Senate Republicans edgy about the policy offered today to drop their stall if Democrats would cut out language urging that the policy be held “in abeyance” while other options are explored, Sen. Jim Sasser (D-Tenn.), a primary author of the language, said that point was not negotiable.
Sasser also noted the attack by Iranian speedboats on a U.S.-owned tanker flying the Liberian flag, saying because that vessel did not fly the U.S. flag it could not get Navy protection but Kuwaiti-owned ships flying the U.S. flag would get protection.
“Think about how ridiculous that is,” Sasser said.
In the House, members first refused to recommend scrapping the policy completely, voting 283 to 126 against that idea. But they then voted 222 to 184 almost exclusively along party lines for a 90-day delay amendment.
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