The Nation - News from March 30, 1988

The House Armed Services Committee voted deep cuts in President Reagan’s request for “Star Wars” anti-missile spending and his plan to put multiple-warhead MX missiles on Western railroads. The Democratic-controlled panel, working on its version of a bill authorizing the Pentagon budget for the fiscal year that begins Oct. 1, slashed to $3.7 billion Reagan’s request for $4.5 billion in “Star Wars” funds. The panel voted to approve $500 million for research into putting the MX aboard trains, $300 million less than Reagan had sought. At the same time, the panel increased Reagan’s request for the single-warhead Midgetman missile from $200 million to $500 million. The $3.7-billion “Star Wars” figure would mean that spending next year for the program would remain at about the current level.