For the Record

President Reagan stressed the virtues of bipartisan agreement in his State of the Union message, and he’s getting it on his budget for FY 1984: both Democrats and Republicans are attacking it. Rep. Silvio Conte (Mass.), ranking GOP member of House Appropriations Committee, criticized cuts in health and welfare programs and warned that “there will be a hell of a shift to social programs, no doubt about it.” . . . Seven conservative Republican congressmen have put Reagan on warning that they’ll fight to extend freeze to military budget. The seven consist of three senators elected in 1980 with Reagan—Charles Grassley (Iowa), Mack Mattingly (Ga.), and Don Nickles (Okla.)—and four House members: William Dannemeyer (Calif.), Newt Gingrich (Ga.), Denny Smith (Ore.), and Bob Walker (Pa.). An across-the-board freeze, said Gingrich, is the “only step which is politically possible, which is simple and clear enough that the nation could rally to it.” . . . Lew Uhler’s National Tax Limitation Committee, an early proponent of spending freeze, also wants freeze to extend to Pentagon. . . . Sen. John Tower, chairman of Senate Armed Services Committee, responded coolly to arms freeze. In a “Dear Colleague” letter, Tower invited every senator “to give me a list by March 1, 1983, of any defense-related project in his or her state where a reduction of expenditures could be made because such expenditure is not essential for national defense.” . . . OMB Director David Stockman, testifying before House Appropriations Committee, said Reagan’s proposed defense budget is only 5 per cent higher in “real” terms, discounting for inflation, than military spending was in 1970.

Taking advantage of infusion of new Democratic blood in 98th Congress, House Speaker Tip O’Neill plans major effort to place “cap” on third phase of Reagan tax cut and to bar indexing of tax brackets to adjust for inflation, scheduled to begin in 1985. Democratic National Committee Chairman Charles Manatt has also targeted tax indexation for elimination. Democrats want “bracket creep” money for domestic spending. . . . Despite “compromise agreement” on Social Security, Manatt’s committee is sending out letter asking for $500,000 to counter a lobbying campaign “led by the ultra-conservative New Right” to cut Social Security benefits. Earlier Manatt letter on Social Security, mailed in December, netted $450,000 for Democratic war-chest. . . . As expected, Equal Rights Amendment is back on congressional agenda. “This is the last ERA resolution that is going to be introduced,” said Sen. Paul Tsongas (D., Mass.), “because it’s going to be passed and go on to become the law of the land.” Sen. Robert Packwood (R., Ore.), long-time ERA supporter, says proposed amendment has 55 Senate co-sponsors. Speaking at press conference, Phyllis Schlafly predicted another ERA defeat: “The American people support real public officials who have the courage to tackle tough problems, not wimps who hide behind a phony symbol.” . . . With the herd of Democratic presidential hopefuls growing ever larger, GOP officials are anxiously waiting for Reagan to declare, if only to prevent other Republicans from developing presidential aspirations.

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President Reagan stressed the virtues of bipartisan agreement in his State of the Union message, and he’s getting it on his budget for FY 1984: both Democrats and Republicans are attacking it. Rep. Silvio Conte (Mass.), ranking GOP member of House Appropriations Committee, criticized cuts in health and welfare programs and warned that “there will be a hell of a shift to social programs, no doubt about it.” . . . Seven conservative Republican congressmen have put Reagan on warning that they’ll fight to extend freeze to military budget. The seven consist of three senators elected in 1980 with Reagan—Charles Grassley (Iowa), Mack Mattingly (Ga.), and Don Nickles (Okla.)—and four House members: William Dannemeyer (Calif.), Newt Gingrich (Ga.), Denny Smith (Ore.), and Bob Walker (Pa.). An across-the-board freeze, said Gingrich, is the “only step which is politically possible, which is simple and clear enough that the nation could rally to it.” . . . Lew Uhler’s National Tax Limitation Committee, an early proponent of spending freeze, also wants freeze to extend to Pentagon. . . . Sen. John Tower, chairman of Senate Armed Services Committee, responded coolly to arms freeze. In a “Dear Colleague” letter, Tower invited every senator “to give me a list by March 1, 1983, of any defense-related project in his or her state where a reduction of expenditures could be made because such expenditure is not essential for national defense.” . . . OMB Director David Stockman, testifying before House Appropriations Committee, said Reagan’s proposed defense budget is only 5 per cent higher in “real” terms, discounting for inflation, than military spending was in 1970.

Taking advantage of infusion of new Democratic blood in 98th Congress, House Speaker Tip O’Neill plans major effort to place “cap” on third phase of Reagan tax cut and to bar indexing of tax brackets to adjust for inflation, scheduled to begin in 1985. Democratic National Committee Chairman Charles Manatt has also targeted tax indexation for elimination. Democrats want “bracket creep” money for domestic spending. . . . Despite “compromise agreement” on Social Security, Manatt’s committee is sending out letter asking for $500,000 to counter a lobbying campaign “led by the ultra-conservative New Right” to cut Social Security benefits. Earlier Manatt letter on Social Security, mailed in December, netted $450,000 for Democratic war-chest. . . . As expected, Equal Rights Amendment is back on congressional agenda. “This is the last ERA resolution that is going to be introduced,” said Sen. Paul Tsongas (D., Mass.), “because it’s going to be passed and go on to become the law of the land.” Sen. Robert Packwood (R., Ore.), long-time ERA supporter, says proposed amendment has 55 Senate co-sponsors. Speaking at press conference, Phyllis Schlafly predicted another ERA defeat: “The American people support real public officials who have the courage to tackle tough problems, not wimps who hide behind a phony symbol.” . . . With the herd of Democratic presidential hopefuls growing ever larger, GOP officials are anxiously waiting for Reagan to declare, if only to prevent other Republicans from developing presidential aspirations.