CONGRESS ENJOYS NEW FOREIGN POLICY ROLE

Document Type: 
Collection: 
Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 
CIA-RDP90-00965R000302130012-3
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RIFPUB
Original Classification: 
K
Document Page Count: 
1
Document Creation Date: 
December 22, 2016
Document Release Date: 
November 8, 2012
Sequence Number: 
12
Case Number: 
Publication Date: 
March 1, 1986
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OPEN SOURCE
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PDF icon CIA-RDP90-00965R000302130012-3.pdf117.36 KB
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Declassified and Approved For Release 2012/11/08: CIA-RDP90-00965R000302130012-3 ARTICLE APPEARS LOS ANGELES TIMES 1 March 1986 deeply involved in diplomacy as they did in the Pbibpphne , "I have a problem with some members of Cmgrm IhIn they are secre- tary of the world," quipped House Republican Leader Robert H. Michel of Illinois. And Norman Ornstein, a con- gres tonal 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. 1 John F. Kerry (D-Mass.) and Tom Harkin (D- Ind) went to Nicaragua last year to negotiate with Sandin- ista leader Daniel Ortega. Unlike theme 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 Manila in recent weeks. Senate Into ce Committee man Dave rem erger c f < Minn.) argued that the personal involvement theme lawmakers reflects their increa ' so histica- e noted that many young congressmen, such as 35- ear-old D R URPas IDA. Congress Ne Jnjoys New Foreign PolirRole A the same time, CCongrean has BY SARA M= ft.. staN WrfNr been tearing down many the WASHINGTON-When Sen. legislative barriers that it once Paul IAialt 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 Lion of five months of intense Amendment restricting U.S. ac- congreadooal involvement In the Lions 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 members view as a new, more Angola were repealed in 19e6. constructive role for Congress in "There has been a cooling off American was settling Period dbetan effort to build fling into a life consensus ween 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 five 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 Laalt, the Nevada Republican, Sen. Richard G. Lugar (R-Ind.) and Rep. John P. Murtha (D-Pa.) played highly visible, per- sonal roles in the unfolding drama in the Philippines. Lugar led the official U.S. delegation to monitor the February election; Murtha was a member of that delegation. Members of Congress empha- sized that their role in the Philip- pine crisis had demonstrated an extraordinary measure of biparti- sanship-a welcome departure from the obstructionist role that congressmen have frequently played in the years since the Vietnam War. "This is what I prayed would happen," said Lugar, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Com- mittee. "It was bipartisan consulta- tion at it's best." It also was the most stunning eample of a trend that political scientists have seen developing for some time. In the last year, they have-cow pros- adopt sanctions to against the South Africa and take a more active approach to arms control talks with the Soviet Union. ep. ve a begun talking with Democratic Y - P McCurdy (D-Okla ) o have taken . , p ponents of the President's request I time to specialize in international for aid, asking them "whether we topics. can shape something here that has "There's a lot more smarts com- a bipartisan characteristic similar to the Philippine operation." Republicans and Democrats worked together on the Philippine crisis, according to Lugar, because they feared a divided Congress would have closed off any opportu- nity for a peaceful transition of power in Manila. Biden noted that Congress es- sentially sided with Secretary of State George P. Shultz against several members of the White House staff who were cautioning Reagan against breaking with Marcos-even though the Philip- pine president apparently had sto- len the election from opposition leader Corazon Aquino. "It occurred because of the bankruptcy of the Reagan foreign policy," said Biden, a member of the Senate Foreign Affairs Com. mittee. "People in the Republican Party are now doing what a loyal party should do-saving the Presi- dent from himself." Some members of Congress ass. gue that they should not get as 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. Solari (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 - green, many members, including Lugar and Kerry, are also talking about stepping up ls'egWre for free elections in Nicaragua, South Ko- rea and Chile similar to those held in the Philippines. Declassified and Approved For Release 2012/11/08: CIA-RDP90-00965R000302130012-3