Rep. Savage Plan to Cut Israeli Aid Loses, 418-2

The House Tuesday inflicted a humiliating defeat on Rep. Gus Savage (D-Ill.), who was recently accused of making anti-Semitic remarks, when he proposed eliminating funds for resettlement of Soviet Jews in Israel.

Savage suffered one of the most lopsided losses in House history as his colleagues rejected his amendment by a vote of 418 to 2.

“It was not a vote of confidence in Israel, it was a vote of overwhelming no-confidence in Gus,” said Rep. Barney Frank (D-Mass.). Frank noted that all but one of Savage’s fellow black congressmen voted against the amendment.

One congressman urged that the House vote against the amendment not only because it was wrong, but because it was sponsored by Savage.

As the votes mounted against him, Savage sat alone, occasionally smiling. He laughed when one of his chief defenders, Rep. Mervyn M. Dymally (D-Compton), also voted against the amendment. In the end, only Rep. George W. Crockett Jr., a black Democrat from Detroit, voted with Savage.

However, Rep. Cardiss Collins (D-Ill.), who also is black, said the vote reflected only the unpopularity of the amendment, not of Savage.

Three other amendments to cut foreign aid also were defeated overwhelmingly, but in each case the proponents got dozens of votes. Even Rep. James A. Trafficant Jr. (D-Ohio), a maverick who is frequently in a tiny minority, got 72 votes for an amendment to cut the foreign aid programs by 3%.

Savage met sharp criticism from many Democrats after he charged in a March 17 speech that his major opponent in a primary election was backed largely by “Jewish money” given by people living outside the congressional district.

Speaker Thomas S. Foley and two high-ranking black lawmakers who endorsed Savage’s reelection were among those who denounced those remarks. House Democratic Whip William H. Gray III of Pennsylvania and Rep. Charles B. Rangel (D-N.Y.), who appeared at the campaign rally with Savage, said they left before he spoke but later called the remarks bigoted and offensive.

Savage accused the American Israel Public Affairs Committee of pouring money into his district to try to defeat him in what he termed an “un-American” tactic. He said that blacks cannot be racist and charged that he was a victim of a conspiracy by white-owned news media.

On Tuesday, floor managers for the emergency appropriations bill heaped scorn on Savage and his amendment to cut funds for Soviet Jews. Rep David R. Obey (D-Wis.), chief Democratic sponsor of the appropriations bill, urged rejection not only because of what the amendment would do, but also because Savage was its author.

In a rare rebuff, Savage’s colleagues also denied a roll call vote on a second amendment that would have knocked out $400 million in loan guarantees for housing for Jewish refugees in Israel. Savage protested that Israel, which receives about $3 billion in U.S. aid each year, was getting too much money at the expense of African countries and domestic programs to help the poor.

“Let’s put the needs of America above the wants of Israel,” Savage said in his lonely appeal.

A thunderous chorus of no’s, however, buried that proposal. Only Savage and Crockett rose to seek a roll call vote--98 short of the required 100 members.

“Sit down! Sit down!” both Democrats and Republicans called out.

Savage demanded a roll call anyway, on grounds that a quorum was not present. But the acting Speaker, Rep. Byron L. Dorgan (D-N.D.), brusquely rejected the request, telling Savage there were enough members present to make a quorum.

Frustrated, Savage immediately walked off the floor and was not available for comment on the crushing defeat of his amendment.