CONGRESS ENJOYS NEW FOREIGN POLICY ROLE

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP90-00552R000403940037-3
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 24, 2010
• Sequence Number: 37
• Publication Date: March 1, 1986
• Content Type: OPEN SOURCE

Approved For Release 2010/08/24: CIA-RDP90-00552R000403940037-3
LOS ANGELES TIMES
ARTICLE APPEARS
ON PAG ~.
deeply involved in diplomacy as
they did in the Philippines, "I have
a problem with some members of
Congress thinking they are secre-
tary of the world," quipped House
Republican Leader Robert H.
Michel of IDinois.
And Norman Ornstein, a con-
gressional scholar with the Ameri-
can Enterprise Institute, added:
"Diplomacy is not in the job de-
scription of a member of Congress."
In recent years, a number of
members of Congress have made
what Ornstein described as
"free-lance" efforts to meddle in
diplomacy. For example, former
Rep. George Hanson (R-Idaho)
went to Iran in 1990 seeking release
of American hostages, and Sens.
John F. Kerry (D-Mass.) and Tom
Harkin (D- Ind) went to Nicaragua
last year to negotiate with Sandin-
ista leader Daniel Ortega.
Unlike these earlier examples.
however, the actions of Laxalt.
Lugar and others in the Philippines
were undertaken with the ex-
pressed approval of Reagan and
Marcos. Perhaps as many as a
dozen Congress members visited
Man's in recent weeks.
Senate Into c e Committee
P Chairman Dave urea rs'er -
Minn.) argued that the personal
involvement of these lawmakers
Expedi 1ldl r'sPl~"/%~Ipu/11r.~h%ft
Congress Fnjoys New
Foreign Policy Role
A the same time, Congress has
By SARA FRITZ "ma Stott WrWs been
tearing down many of the
WASHINGTON-When Sen. legislative barriers that it once
Paul Laxalt advised Ferdinand E, built against direct involvement by
Marcos to relinquish power earlier the Administration in various parts
this week, it marked the culmina- of the world. Both the Boland
tion of five months of intense Amendment restricting U.S. ac-
congresadonal involvement in the tions against the Marxist regime in
affairs of the Philippines and pro- Nicaragua and the Clark Amend-
vided an example of what many ment banning aid to the rebels in in 198&
members view as a new, more Angola were
has been a cooling constructive role for Congress in "There ling off
American foreign policy. period and an effort to build a
As Marcos was sewing into a life consensus between the Congress
of exile on Friday, many lawmak- and the President in foreign poli-
era claimed credit for precipitating cy," said Thomas E. Mann, execu-
his downfall by forcing President tive director of the American Polit-
Reagan to withdraw U.S. support ical Science Assn. "Reflexive fights
from the embattled Philippine are not the norm now."
president. Mann cautioned that efforts to
"I don't think the ' President develop consensus frequently do
would have abandoned Marcos not succeed. Although Democrats
without pressure from Congress," have made a number of efforts to
said Sen. Joseph R. Biden Jr. compromise with Reagan on the
(D-Del.). President's proposals for aid to the
Not only did Congress influence Nicaraguan rebels, for example, the
the situation through the normal two sides remain at odds.
legislative means, many lawmak- But Lugar said he has already
era such as Laxalt, the Nevada begun talking with Democratic op-
Republican, Sen. Richard G. Lugar ponents of the President's request
(R-Ind.) and Rep. John P. Murtha for aid, asking them "whether we
(D-Pa.) played highly visible, per- can shape something here that has
sonal roles in the unfolding drama a bipartisan characteristic similar
in the Philippines. Lugar led the to the Philippine operation."
official U.S. delegation to monitor Republicans and Democrats
the February election; Murtha was worked together on the Philippine
a member of that delegation. crisis. according to Lugar, because
Members of Congress em ha- they feared a divided Congress
sized that their role in the Philip- would have closed off any opportu-
pine crisis had demonstrated an ruty for a peaceful transition of
extraordinary measure of biparti- power in Manila
sanship-a welcome departure Biden noted that Congress es-
from the obstructionist role that sentially sided with Secretary of
congressmen have frequently State George P. Shultz against
played in the years since the several members of the White
Vietnam War. House staff who were cautioning
"This is what I prayed would Reagan against breaking with
happen," said Lugar, chairman of Marcos-even though the Philip-
the Senate Foreign Relations Com- pine president apparently had sto-
mittee. "It was bipartisan consults- ken the election from opposition
tion at it's best" leader Corazon Aquino.
It also was the most stunning "It occurred because of the
example of a trend that political bankruptcy of the Reagan foreign
scientists have seen developing for policy," said Biden, a member of
some time. In the last year, they the Senate Foreign Affairs Com-
havecreme congre soonal pros- mittee. "People in the Republican
sure with persuading Reagan to Party are now doing what a loyal
adopt sanctions against the South ~y should o-saving the Presi-
Africa and take a more active from himself."
approach to arms control talks with Some members of Congress ar-
the Soviet Union. gue that they should not get as
reflects their increasing sophistica-
tion in foreign affairs. noted
that many young congressmen,
such as 35-year-old Rep. Dave
f' McCurdy (D-Okla ), have taken
time to specialize in international
topics.
"There's a lot more smarts com-
ing out of Congress today than the
Administration," Durenberger said.
"We're not a bunch of dumb bun-
nies in Congress. We're a pretty
smart, well- traveled group."
Although Laxalt's call to Mar-
cos-in which the senator advised
him to "cut and cut cleanly"-
helped bring an end to the crisis, it
was by no means the last chapter of
Congress' involvement in the Phil -
ippines.
House Speaker Thomas P. (Tip)
O'Neill Jr. (D-Mass.) announced
Friday that he is sending Rep.
Stephen J. Solarz (D-N.Y.) to the
Philippines to invite Aquino to
address a joint session of Congress,
and many members predict Con-
gress will provide increased U.S.
aid to her government.
In the wake of what they view as
a foreign policy victory for Con-
gress, many members, including
Lugar and Kerry, are also talking
about stepping up pressure for free
elections in Nicaragua, South Ko-
rea and Chile similar to those held
in the Philippines.
Approved For Release 2010/08/24: CIA-RDP90-00552R000403940037-3