{page 1}
Joyce
MEMORANDUM 
MAY 18, 1992
TO: SENATOR DOLE
FROM: MIRA BARATTA
SUBJECT: MEETING WITH SENATORS WARNER, STEVENS AND LOTT ON RESCISSION BILL
Since Dan is on leave, he asked that I staff the meeting with Senators Warner, Stevens and Lott on the rescission bill. The conference on the rescission bill is down to the big ticket items, namely B-2, SDI and Seawolf. The next meeting of conferees will be tomorrow afternoon.
A recap of the status of big ticket items:
Senate bill
SDI - $1.3 billion
B-2 - $1.0 billion
Seawolf + 2 subs
The major issue to be discussed at your meeting is that of the letter to the President being circulated by Senator Lott (attached) which urges a presidential veto if SDI or B-2 cuts are included in the final rescission bill. Apparently, there is some debate on whether it need to be sent with 34 signatures or not. In addition, Senator Stevens was considering adding language on Seawolf (which could limit the number of signatures that we could get) . While everyone on our side basically agrees that SDI should not be cut at all, the B-2 issue is more difficult, since the Air Force has testified that it can't spend the $1 billion this year (for the 16th B-2). Senator Inouye has said that he will put the $1b back in the FY93 bill -- but there is no guarantee.
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05-18-92 11:26AM FROM SASC TO 48952 P002/010
SAM NUNN, GEORGIA, CHAIRMAN
J JAMES EXON, NEBRASKA
CARL LEVIN. MICHIGAN
EDWARD M KENNEDY, MASSACHUSETTS
JEFF BINGAMAN, NEW MEXICO
ALAN J DIXON, ILLINOIS
JOHN GLENN, OHIO
ALBERT GORE, JR. TENNESSEE
TIMOTHY E. WIRTH, COLORADO
RICHARD C SHELBY, ALABAMA 
ROBERT C BYRD, WEST VIRGINIA
JOHN W WARNER, VIRGINIA
STROM THURMOND, SOUTH CAROLINA
WILLIAM B. COHEN, MAINE
JOHN MCCAIN, ARIZONA
MALCOLM WALLOP, WYOMING
TRENT LOTT, MISSISSIPPI
DAN COATS. INDIANA
CONNIE MACK. FLORIDA
BOB SMITH, NEW HAMPSHIRE
{illegible}, STAFF DIRECTOR 
PATRICK {illegible} TUCKER, STAFF DIRECTOR FOR THE MINORITY
DRAFT
United States Senate 
COMMITTEE ON ARMED SERVICES 
WASHINGTON, DC 20510-6080
May 14, 1992
The Honorable George Bush 
President of the United States 
The White House 
Washington, D.C. 20500
Dear Mr. President:
Last week the Senate and the House of Representatives each passed separate versions of a rescission bill which differ significantly from the package you sent to Congress, You have publicly stated that you will veto any rescission bill which reduces funding for the Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI) and the B-2 bomber. We applaud your leadership on this issue and urge you not to tolerate any cuts to these programs.
In this post cold War era it is critical that we maintain our national security through deterrence and defense. Just two years ago there were only 15 nations in the world with the capability to develop and deliver a nuclear threat. Today, the former Soviet Union is itself 15 different nations. Clearly, one can see that the threats are increasing. We need to maintain these . two programs because they provide Americans with a balanced defensive and offensive deterrent to nuclear war.
on two occasions this spring, the Senate has expressed its will regarding the appropriate funding level for defense. On both occasions we supported your defense budget level. First, when we maintained the firewalls between defense and domestic spending, and again when we approved the Senate's Budget Resolution.
While the House package has numerous provisions which we do not fully support, by in large, we were encouraged that the House passed a rescission package which provides full funding for both the SDI and the B-2 bomber by an overwhelming vote of 412-2. This clear message of support is particularly significant since these two programs have historically faced stiff opposition in the House.
We urge you to veto any rescission bill sent to you which does not preserve full funding for these two critical programs.
Sincerely,
{signature of Strom Thurmond}
{signature of John Warner}
{signature of Trent Lott}
{signature of Malcolm Wallop}
{page 3}
05-18-92 11:26AM FROM SASC TO 48952 P003/010
{signature of Larry Craig}
{signature of Phil Gramm}
{signature of Dan Coats}
{signature of Steve Symms}
{signature of Bob Dole}
{signature of Bob Smith}
{signature of Mitch McConnell}
{signature of Connie Mack}
{signature of Jake Garn}
{signature of Slade Gorton}