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Democrats on the Senate Armed Services Committee pushed through a defense bill Friday that cuts $1.3 billion from President Bush’s request for financing a national missile shield and restricts his freedom to conduct missile defense tests.
All 12 committee Republicans voted against the bill authorizing Bush’s defense budget request of $343 billion in the fiscal year that begins Oct. 1.
It was the restrictions on Bush’s ability to conduct missile defense activities that would violate the 1972 Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty that prompted the 13-12 vote.
The restrictions would require a special vote by Congress before any money could be spent on an activity the president tells Congress would violate the ABM Treaty.
