The House

Foreign Aid

By a vote of 310 to 107, the House passed a bill (HR 3743) appropriating $14.8 billion in U.S. foreign aid in fiscal 1990, $4.7 billion in military assistance, $3.2 billion in economic aid and nearly $7 billion for other programs designed to further U.S. policies around the globe.

The bill had been stripped of provisions that caused President Bush to veto an earlier version of it. For example, it no longer earmarked $15 million for a U.N. population-control fund, said by critics to finance forced abortions and sterilizations in China. It retained a ban on foreign aid being used to induce recipient countries and persons to carry out illegal activities to further U. S. policies abroad. But this response to the Iran-Contra scandal had been softened enough to satisfy Bush’s complaint that it infringed on a president’s authority to conduct foreign policy.

Supporter Mickey Edwards (R-Okla.) said the bill “reflects the priorities of the Bush Administration in providing assistance to our allies.”

Opponent Jim Moody (D-Wis.) criticized Bush for blocking aid to U.N. population-control programs, saying that the President was playing “a symbolic game of vetoing money that does not, in fact, go for any abortion.”

Members voting yes supported the bill.

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

El Salvador

By a vote of 194 to 215, the House refused to consider an amendment withholding aid to El Salvador because of the murders there of six Jesuit priests, their housekeeper and her daughter in mid-November. Some backers of the amendment blamed the massacre on “death squad” activities that were unchecked by the rightist government of Salvadoran President Alfredo Cristiani. But they acknowledged that they could not prove their accusation.

This vote occurred during debate on HR 3743 (above). The amendment sought to delay until next April the release of 30% of $85 million in military aid earmarked for El Salvador in fiscal 1990.

Supporter Joe Moakley (D-Mass.) said the Salvadoran government must understand “that events like last week’s barbaric killings will put U. S. military aid in question.”

Opponent Bud Shuster (R-Pa.) said, “There is absolutely no credible information to indicate who perpetrated these dastardly deeds of murdering these priests.”

Members voting yes wanted the House to consider the amendment withholding military aid to El Salvador.

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

Catastrophic Care Repeal

By a vote of 55 to 346, the House refused to salvage a new law designed to ensure Medicare participants against potentially ruinous doctor and hospital bills, and other runaway medical costs. The Senate, by non-record vote, went along with the House decision to scrap the catastrophic care program, which was considered landmark legislation when enacted last year.

The program fell out of favor on Capitol Hill after the Medicare beneficiaries who were to pay for it objected to the cost. It was financed by higher premiums and an income-tax surcharge paid by those with enough means to owe taxes. The repeal bill (HR 3607) was sent to President Bush.

Members voting no wanted to repeal the 1988 Catastrophic Coverage Act.

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