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Note: This document is from the archive of the Africa Policy E-Journal, published
by the Africa Policy Information Center (APIC) from 1995 to 2001 and by Africa Action
from 2001 to 2003. APIC was merged into Africa Action in 2001. Please note that many outdated links in this archived
document may not work.
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Africa: B-2s vs. Africa Aid
Any links to other sites in this file from 1995 are not clickable,
given the difficulty in maintaining up-to-date links in old files.
However, we hope they may still provide leads for your research.
Africa: B-2s vs. Africa Aid
Date Distributed (ymd): 950715
Washington Office on Africa Update
July 14, 1995
The House of Representatives has reduced appropriations for
the Development Fund for Africa (DFA) for Fiscal Year 1996
from the $802 million proposed by the administration to $529.5
million, a cut of $272.5 million. House actions also cut the
proposed $17.4 million for the African Development Foundation
(ADF) to $10 million. While these figures are still subject
to Senate action, and to subsequent compromises, different
proposals in the Senate range from almost equally drastic to
worse.
Meanwhile in a June authorization vote on the defense budget,
the House approved $550 million for initial funding for
production of two additional B-2 bombers not requested by the
Pentagon, more than the combined DFA and ADF appropriations.
Each additional B-2 bomber produced will cost an estimated
$1.5 billion.
The vote, accompanied by intense lobbying by military
contractors and former Defense officials, pitted strict budget
cutters and opponents of high military spending against not
only the usual Defense Department boosters in Congress but
also some members heavily influenced by considerations of
potential job losses in their districts.
Yet the proposed funding for the B-2 program could cover
continued support for human needs at home as well as for
sustainable development programs in Africa.
The following alert, prepared by the Friends Committee on
National Legislation (FCNL) for a coalition opposing the B-2
funding, is therefore relevant for supporters of Africa as
well.
House consideration of the appropriations bill is likely to
come up before the end of the month, and perhaps as early as
the week of July 17.
For additional information, please be in touch with FCNL.
PHONE CALLS NEEDED ON B-2 BOMBER
Representatives John Kasich (R-OH) and Ron Dellums (D-CA) will
be offering an amendment to the Defense Appropriations bill to
block funding for additional B-2 bombers. A previous vote was
close, and there are many members whose positions might be
changed. Phone calls are needed immediately.
BACKGROUND
(Prepared by the Friends Committee on National Legislation,
245 2nd St., NE, Washington, DC 20002. Tel: (202) 547-6000;
Fax: (202) 547-6019; Email: fcnl@igc.org. Contact: Sarah
Warren)
Representatives Kasich and Dellums offered a similar amendment
to the Defense Authorization bill. In a frustrating vote, the
amendment was defeated by the very narrow margin of 203 to
219. A number of representatives who normally support arms
control efforts voted AGAINST the amendment and FOR the B-2.
The [Kasich-Dellums] amendment would have removed a provision
from the authorization bill that gets rid of the current cap
on B-2 production (a 20-plane, $44 billion limit). The
provision also authorizes $533 million to be spent on parts
and production costs for 2 more planes. The cost of these
planes was based on the assumption that 20 more B-2s would be
built.
So by voting to retain this provision, the committee was
implicitly approving 20 more planes, at an eventual costs of
over $31.5 billion.
THE PENTAGON DID NOT REQUEST THESE PLANES. THEY ARE NOT AN
AIR FORCE PRIORITY. This money could be spent on many other
things, but pork barrel politics won out and Northrup's slick
lobbying materials paid off.
WE CAN STILL STOP THE B-2, though. Kasich and Dellums will
try to block funds from being appropriated for the B-2. And
in the Senate, Sen. Cohen (R-ME) introduced an amendment to
the Department of Defense authorization bill in committee.
The amendment passed, 13-8, so there is currently no money for
the B-2 in the Senate's version of the authorization bill.
Please call as many of the offices listed below as is
possible. Ask to speak with the defense aide. Try to cover
at least the following basic points:
- YOUR ORGANIZATION [OR YOU] OPPOSES PRODUCTION OF THE B-2.
- YOU WANT THE REPRESENTATIVE TO VOTE FOR THE KASICH-DELLUMS
AMENDMENT AND AGAINST FUNDING OF THE B-2 BOMBER.
- THE PENTAGON AND THE ADMINISTRATION DID NOT REQUEST THESE
FUNDS.
- TO SPEND THIS MONEY ON THE B-2 AT A TIME WHEN HUMAN NEEDS,
DISARMAMENT, CONVERSION, ENVIRONMENTAL AND OTHER IMPORTANT
PROGRAMS ARE BEING SLASHED IS INDEFENSIBLE.
OFFICES TO CALL:
(All of the following have voted against the B-2 at some point
in the past, but voted for it in June.)
Berman (D-CA) Tel: 225-4695
Fawell (R-IL) Tel: 225-3515
Ewing (R-IL) Tel: 225-2371
Visclosky (D-IN) Tel: 225-2461
Jefferson (D-LA) Tel: 225-6636
Schiff (R-NM) Tel: 225-6316
Ackerman (D-NY) Tel: 225-2601
Traficant (D-OH) Tel: 225-5261
Gekas (R-PA) Tel: 225-4315
Waters (D-CA) Tel: 225-2201
Meyers (R-KS) Tel: 225-2865
Manton (D-NY) Tel: 225-3965
(The following voted against the B-2 in 1992, but were absent
for this year's vote.)
Pelosi (D-CA) Tel: 225-4965
Yates (D-IL) Tel: 225-2111
Williams (D-MT) Tel: 225-3211
LaFalce (D-NY) Tel: 225-3231
Boucher (D-VA) Tel: 225-3861
Kleczka (D-WI) Tel: 225-4572
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This material is made available by the Washington
Office on Africa (WOA). WOA is a not-for-profit
church, trade union and civil rights group supported
organization that works with Congress on Africa-related
legislation.
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