Statement of Administration Policy: S. 184 - To Provide Economic Assistance to the Central American Democracies and Disapproving Aid to the Contras

(Senate)
(Sen. Dodd (D) and Sen. Weicker (R) Connecticut)

The President will veto S. 184 if it is passed by the Congress.

S. 184 would not encourage the Sandinistas to move toward peace and democracy. To the contrary, it would reward their inflexibility and send the message that they need only wait for the United States to lose its resolve. The bill's unilateral termination of aid to the Nicaraguan democratic resistance would deprive the administration of one of the most critical elments of leverage it has with the Sandinistas, and make successful negotiations for a democratic outcome in Nicaragua virtually impossible.

The President strongly supports $300 million in economic aid to four Central American democracies requested as a 1987 supplemental appropriation, but not in the context of this bill.