Congress OKs Bill Allowing End to New B-2 Production
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WASHINGTON — Congress approved a $247.5-billion defense appropriations bill Thursday that would effectively kill future production of the B-2 bomber and give President Clinton a way to extend the Bosnia troop deployment.
Heading off a veto battle, House and Senate negotiators who crafted the bill gave way on Bosnia and the B-2, two of the most contentious issues. The bill passed the House, 356 to 65, and the Senate quickly followed suit, 93 to 5.
It still contains language cutting off funding for the Bosnia troop deployment by June 30 and allowing the president to spend money expanding the B-2 fleet. But companion provisions give Clinton an escape hatch on both issues.
Clinton can decide to spend the B-2 money repairing and modernizing the fleet of 21 B-2s--as he undoubtedly would given his opposition to buying any more of the $2-billion radar-evading planes.
On Bosnia, Clinton could remove the funding cutoff merely by coming to Capitol Hill by May 15 and explaining why and how the Bosnia mission must be extended.
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