LAWMAKERS
LAWMAKERS
01.13.50-ROBERTS-House rejected MX MISSILE funding for CONSTRUCTION, but approved funds for RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT, and the next day passed LARGEST PEACETIME DEFENSE APPROPRIATION IN HISTORY. LARGEST PEACETIME DEFENSE APPROPRIATION IN HISTORY. CASPAR WEINBERGER went to SENATE ARMED SERVICES COMMITTEE to lobby for the MX MISSILE. 01.14.22-C/S Sen. JOHN TOWER (R-TX) in committee hearing, says the House's decision makes the Senate's business urgent. Sen. JOHN WARNER (R-VA), says he's talked to Congressmen, and blames the DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE for keeping much MX MISSILE information secret, House might have voted differently with more information. M/S WEINBERGER listening while Senators chew him out. Sen. HENRY JACKSON (D-WA) says that the DEFENSE DEPARTMENT'S failure to get their act together on a plan to base the missile makes the whole plan look ridiculous. C/S of CHAIR OF JOINT CHIEFS OF STAFF JOHN VESSEY, says that three of four JOINT CHIEFS were against the new proposal to base the MX. Sen. SAM NUNN asks why Congress should vote for the MX MISSILE if the JOINT CHIEFS don't even like the plan. 01.17.21-WEINBERGER tries to give a slick answer that "civilian control" gives D.O.D. power to contradict the Joint Chiefs. NUNN'S voice says that's not the issue, the issue is why DEFENSE DEPARTMENT would push for a bad plan. WEINBERGER tries to weasel out an answer, says that it's urgent to remedy the "imbalance" with the USSR asap. M/S DAN QUAYLE (R-Ind.) on committee. Sen. ROGER JEPSEN (R-Iowa) on committee, says his constituents are skeptical of the MX MISSILE. QUAYLE says the public thinks the PENTAGON BUDGET is out of control, and it's not only peaceniks who think so. He favors DEFENSE, asks WEINBERGER to stop presenting plans that look ridiculous and draw criticism. 01.19.47-DUKE/ROBERTS/WERTHEIMER-discussion of MX MISSILE issue and DEFENSE SPENDING in general. 1983 REAGAN ADMINISTRATION will have even more trouble with DEFENSE. However, despite MX defeat, REAGAN won funding for a host of other weapons programs-missiles, bombers, submarines. DEFENSE SPENDING likely to keep increasing, debate will be by how much. Intro commentary. 01.21.45-Commentary by Charles McDowell-what do people want from government? People are wary of ideology, tired of partisanship. Cooperation is needed, and if not for altruistic reasons, for the pragmatic one that "the people are suckers" for it. 01.23.35-DUKE-signs off Closing Credits/transcript order information/WETA credit/sponsor credits/PBS ID 01.25.47-OUT