Anti-boycott Bill Doomed Unless Administration Acts to End Stall

Unless the Ford Administration quickly reverses its position and throws its full weight against the delaying tactics of its allies in the Senate, the Export Administration Act with its anti-boycott provisions is doomed. This assessment became apparent today when Sen. John Tower (R.Tex.), chairman of the Senate Republican Policy Committee, which is in constant close touch with the Administration, made it known yesterday he will block any effort to bring the act to a vote.

With Congress adjourning within three days for the national elections, immediate action by the President himself would be required to persuade Tower to withdraw his threat and allow the normal course of legislation to proceed, the proponents of the act said.

An end of the Tower threat would enable the Senate to name its conferees who were selected last week to work out a bill for votes in both chambers. If the Senate cannot name the conferees, no action can be taken on the bill which would extend the legislation first enacted in 1965 dealing with foreign trade.

Saying “the bill is doomed,” an aide to Sen. Adlai Stevenson (D.Ill.), who co-authored the export extension act, told the Jewish Telegraphic Agency that “the whole thing is all for naught” because of the opposition by the Administration and its Senate allies.

VOWS TO FILIBUSTER AGAINST MOTION

Tower has made it plain he will oppose unanimous consent to bring a motion to the Senate floor to name the conferees while debate is taking place on legal fees in a civil rights bill. He also has told colleagues that should the motion come after the civil rights matter is completed, he will physically filibuster against the motion until Congress adjourns.

Until yesterday, Sen. Robert Allen (D.Ala.) had engaged in parliamentary tactics to delay the naming of the Senate conferees. Allen, however, withdrew his opposition to a motion on the conferees which exposed the Administration into either accepting or blocking the motion. With Allen’s withdrawal, the White House cannot charge the Democratic majority in the Senate with responsibility for killing the extension act, some observers noted.

In addition to the anti-Arab boycott provisions an important section of the proposed extension legislation involves the means for the federal government to help limit the proliferation of atomic weapons by restrictions on reprocessing of plutonium and the enrichment of uranium and heavy water technology in agreements made by the U.S. with other countries.

FORD FEELS LEGISLATION NOT NECESSARY

Meanwhile, White House news secretary Ron Nessen, asked about pending legislation to combat the Arab boycott, said that “The President in general feels legislation is not required.” Earlier today Nessen was asked by the JTA whether it was true that the Republican leadership in the Senate was blocking the Export Administration bill. He said he had not heard of that.