House Approves Fast Deployment of Anti-Missiles
WASHINGTON — The House voted Wednesday to speed up development of anti-missiles to defend the United States against a limited missile attack.
Approval of the program speedup came as the House rejected, 250 to 178, an effort to cut $450 million for the anti-missile program out of a $267-billion defense authorization bill.
Carrying out Republicans’ “contract with America” campaign pledge, the bill calls for deployment of the anti-missile defense “at the earliest practical date.”
Proponents said small hostile countries are developing the ability to fire cruise missiles as well as long-range missiles at the United States. But Democratic opponents said the anti-missile defense was unrealistic and unnecessary.
In another decision, the House refused by a 242-185 vote to guarantee in the bill that the speedup would not violate the 1972 U.S.-Soviet Anti-Ballistic Missile treaty.
The House also voted to cut the more than 100,000 U.S. troops in Europe to as few as 25,000 unless European allies pay a bigger share of the forces’ cost.
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