Congress strips funding for controversial defense initiatives.

Publication: Knight Ridder Washington Bureau (Washington) (via Knight-Ridder/Tribune Business News)

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COPYRIGHT 2004 Knight Ridder Washington Bureau

Byline: Jonathan S. Landay

Nov. 23--WASHINGTON -- The Republican-led Congress has rejected the Bush administration's request for $36 million to study new low-power nuclear warheads and a weapon that could smash into deeply buried bunkers.

Though the administration could try to restore the funds, the bipartisan actions suggested that several of President Bush's most contentious defense initiatives could be dead. The decision last weekend was overshadowed by the controversy over the collapse of White House-backed intelligence reform legislation.

"Bipartisan rejection of the funding requests sends a strong signal that Congress does not buy the administration's flimsy arguments for new nuclear weapons...

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