The House Armed Services Committeelast night proposed cutting President Reagan's funding request
for the Strategic Defence Initiative program by 1.7 billion
dlrs to 3.5 billion.
    The committee also cut by more than half the amount the
president requested for a rail system for strategic missiles.
It approved 250 mln dlrs for the project during its
consideration of the 1988 defence authorisation bill.
    The committee's proposals must be adopted by the full House
and Senate before becoming law. The administration's total
request for 1988 defence spending was 312 billion dlrs.
 REUTER
