The House of RepresentativesAppropriations Committee yesterday approved 300 mln dlrs in
economic aid for four Central American states, 50 mln dlrs to
black-led states neighbouring South Africa and 50 mln dlrs in
military assistance for the Philippines.
    The programmes, part of 1.3 billion dlr supplemental budget
request by the Reagan administration to restore funds cut
earlier by Congress, must be approved by Congress.
    The committee rejected the administration's request for
21.6 mln dlrs as the U.S. Contribution to U.N. Peace-keeping
troops in Lebanon.
    The 300 mln dlrs will go to El Salvador, Honduras,
Guatemala and Costa Rica while another 12 mln dlrs was
allocated to replace the earthquake-damaged U.S. Embassy in San
Salvador.
    The 50 mln dlrs approved for a "Southern Africa" initiative
is part of a larger programme promised by the Reagan
administration last year when it tried unsuccessfully to block
sanctions approved by Congress against South Africa's
white-minority government.
 REUTER
