INHERENCY: DEMOCRATIC CONTROLLED SENATE MAKES NMD UNLIKELY

DEMOCRATIC CONTROLLED SENATE SPELLS TROUBLES FOR BUSH NMD PROPOSAL

ALISON MITCHELL May 28, 2001, The New York Times

SECTION: Section A; Page 9; HEADLINE: Daschle Quick to Explain What the New Senate Math May Mean for the Bush Agenda //VT2002acsln

The next Senate majority leader today underscored the challenge that President Bush faces from a Democrat-led Senate, citing opposition to significant parts of the president's agenda, including elements of his energy plan and his call for a strong missile defense system.

With Democrats set to take control of the Senate early next month, Senator Tom Daschle of South Dakota, who will be the majority leader, said it would be impossible to expand nuclear power now because of the lack of a national repository for nuclear waste storage. Appearing on the NBC program "Meet the Press," he proclaimed Mr. Bush's proposal for oil and gas exploration in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge "finished."

And while Mr. Daschle said Democrats would support more research on missile defense, he said, "The president has said he wants to deploy, and I think that is a premature decision and we certainly wouldn't be prepared to do that."

MISSILE DEFENSE WILL BE SUBSTANTIALLY SLOWED BY THE DEMOCRATS IN THE SENATE

STEPHEN FIDLER May 26, 2001, Financial Times (London) SECTION: WORLD NEWS - THE AMERICAS; Pg. 6 HEADLINE: Senate takeover may soften foreign policy //VT2002acsln

There are some areas, however, where important Bush administration initiatives may be slowed significantly.

One obvious such issue is missile defence.

Carl Levin, the Michigan Democrat expected to take over the armed services committee from John Warner, is sceptical about the value of missile defence. "Levin really knows his subject. We can expect much more extensive hearings before spending much more money. . . The rush to deploy a robust system and to really increase R&D funding substantially, that will be slowed down," says Lawrence Korb of the Council on Foreign Relations in New York.

NEW SENATE DEMOCRATIC CHAIRS WILL WORK AGAINST NMD

MICHAEL HEDGES, May 26, 2001, The Houston Chronicle SECTION: A; Pg. 1 HEADLINE: Democrats digging in for fights in Senate //VT2002acsln

President Bush's national missile defense plan and some conservative nominees to top foreign policy jobs are likely targets of Democrats poised to take over key Senate committees, experts said Friday.

And when Bush deputies are called before the Senate to debate policy toward NATO, Russia, China, the Balkans or the Middle East, they will now be grilled by a Democrat who wants Bush's job in 2004.

Within hours of Vermont Sen. Jim Jefford's announcement Thursday that he was leaving the GOP and handing Senate control to Democrats, Bush's missile defense plan received fresh criticism by Democratic opponents.

Sen. Carl Levin of Michigan, ranking Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee who will become committee chairman, said it was more likely a foreign enemy would strike through terrorism than deliver a nuclear missile attack.

"We've spent too much time on the least likely means of delivering weapons of mass destruction and not enough time on meeting the more likely ways a weapon of mass destruction can be delivered," he said.

And Joseph Biden of Delaware, a Democrat who is expected to chair the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said Friday he is worried about "national missile defense, the whole Star Wars stuff."

BUSH WILL NOW HAVE TO SETTLE FOR A TINY NMD SYSTEM, NOT THE BIG ONE HE WANTS

MICHAEL HEDGES, May 26, 2001, The Houston Chronicle SECTION: A; Pg. 1 HEADLINE: Democrats digging in for fights in Senate //VT2002acsln

Bush was not likely to get his national missile defense system through the Senate without selling at least some Democrats on the idea, experts said. That task will be harder with Democrats controlling the Senate.

"It is much more likely now the Bush will have to settle for a limited missile system of the type Bill Clinton had talked about," O'Hanlon said.

The Bush national missile defense program is still in the formative stage, but the president envisions a high-tech system of detecting and shooting down rocket-propelled weapons.