Senate Committee Cuts Aid to Soviet Emigres; No Mention of Limiting Trade

The Senate Appropriations Committee today reported out a foreign aid bill that makes no mention of limiting trade relations with the Soviet Union over the Soviet Jewry issue and also reduced the amount of federal government aid for the resettlement of Soviet emigres to $60 million.

The Committee, headed by Sen. John McClelland (D.,Ark.) was reported to have accepted the subcommittee’s recommendations to eliminate the provision of trade limitation that was made part of the House legislation last Thursday, on the initiative of Rep. Charles E. Vanik (D. Ohio). That provision would bar Export-Import Bank assistance or federal government Insurance on private Investments for any country which charged more than $60 for a person to emigrate.

The Appropriations Committee, however, approved the House bill’s figure of $50 million for use by the State Department to help countries giving haven to Soviet emigrants. In practical terms this would be mainly for Israel which is taking virtually all Soviet emigrants, the vast majority of whom are Jewish. The Senate Committee accepted the House version on aid to American schools and hospitals abroad which is understood to mean a contribution of about $3-4 million to institutions In Israel.

Since the Senate authorization bill on foreign aid has not yet been signed Into law, the Appropriations Committee “deferred” action on appropriating funds for military assistance, in this Instance, however. It Is understood that no bar will be put against credit sales of up to $300 million for Israel along with a grant of $50 million to Israel In economic supporting assistance. These figures were Included In the House bill. In overall funding, the Senate measure is slightly in excess of the $4.2 billion voted by the House for the fiscal year which began last July 1.