
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: WEDNESDAY, March 6, 1991                   TAG: 9103060170
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL                    PAGE: A-4   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: WASHINGTON                                LENGTH: Medium

HOUSE PANEL OKS PACKAGE FOR ISRAEL AID, WAR COSTS

The House Appropriations Committee approved a compromise $650 million package of war aid for Israel on Tuesday and then voted to spend $42.6 billion for broad financing of the Persian Gulf War.

Both provisions passed by voice vote after only brief discussion.

"This is an agreement that the administration supports and the government of Israel supports," said Rep. Mickey Edwards, R-Okla., just before the vote on assistance for the Jewish state.

After days of negotiation, the administration persuaded Israel to accept less than the $1 billion it initially sought for its military expenses during the war with Iraq.

Although Israel never entered the conflict, its forces remained on 24-hour-a-day alert and the country was the target of about three dozen Iraqi Scud missiles.

American officials have been grateful that Israel never retaliated against Iraq in an attack that might have jarred the multination alliance arrayed against Saddam Hussein.

The war-financing bill is designed to cover the United States' costs for troops, equipment, fuel, combat and an eventual withdrawal. It covers expenses back to Oct. 1, when fiscal 1991 began.

The measure also contains a provision by Rep. John Murtha, D-Pa., chairman of the House Appropriations defense subcommittee, setting aside $350,000 for a Memorial Day concert outside the Capitol to honor veterans of Operation Desert Storm.

The Appropriations Committee also approved a separate $4.1 billion spending bill that would finance assorted costs ranging from the aid to Israel to stepped-up security at federal buildings to $30 million to help drought-stricken California.

The war bill includes $15 billion in taxpayers' funds, plus the authority to spend up to $27.6 billion more in promised assistance from the United States' war allies.

Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Japan, Germany and other countries have pledged $53.5 billion in help to the United States, but only $14.9 billion in cash, equipment and services has been reported delivered so far.

The legislation would allow the military to purchase thousands of missiles, rockets, and other ammunition and spare parts.

This includes $438 million to buy 500 new Patriot anti-missile missiles and to modernize an unspecified number of other Patriots. The weapon was used to shoot down incoming Scuds.

Also provided is $377 million for 290 Tomahawk cruise missiles. Tomahawks, computer-steered and packing high explosives, were fired from warships at targets in Iraq.

by CNB