National / State
THE BATTALION
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 2, 1981
Page 9
ly
'American presence guaranteed
Reagan’s restrictions
victimize 97,000 Texans
A WAGS deal confirmed
12
| United Press International
Washington — Secretary
^20 fo ■ ^ ate Alexander Haig
inounced Thursday the United
t M s an ^ Saudi Arabia have
I ;' Aed an understanding guaran-
t0tou €g an American
$3,000«
presence
fil into the 1990s on AWACS
itr planes sold to the Saudis.
Hrector I *
(■'7 lias
H)0 calls,
months.
«, he s;
ffiaig, seeking to ease congres-
jlal opposition to the $8.5 bil-
B arms deal, described the
ght-point “understanding” dur-
gan open hearing of the Senate
I " c , jreign Relations Committee.
11 111 grlier, he met for 2.5 hours with
' |! IS ie panel behind closed doors.
1 ' ^ el ;;0ne of the key points, he said,
Biat “only carefully screened
tudi and U.S. nationals will be
Uns ^“Blitted to be involved with
pound ^■eaircraft — the five Airborne
■ our ei fining and Control System
l()u f ' vo anes to be sold to Saudi Arabia.
fiThe administration formally
linitted the arms package to
I c|igress Thursday.
USCt^ * ssue an American pre-
together with Saudi person-
[ Jjlafter the AWACS are deli-
1 / / / iired in 1985 has been a key stick-
Bpoint in gaining congressional
mission for the sale. Congress
" l( "' u ! wld block the deal by a majority
nchcou ^ 0 f both houses within 30
Blue E
d"VVl
tys
Jfor several months we have
fit working with the Saudis to
having£| 0 p arrangements that will
k van! , ee t the concerns that the Con-
ind nor has expressed about the
‘ s dc! rtfcosed arms sales to Saudi Ara-
iimlsk |j, Haig told the committee,
llesbemhese discussions have now
tv limiiiBn concluded,” he said. “We
cs doin.|ljeve that the resulting under-
axation. Bding which will come into
fict after consummation of the
sale will ensure the security of the
AWACS system, and the degree
of continuing U.S. participation in
Saudi AWACS operations that re
spond to the fundamental con
cerns about the sale raised during
the course of our consultations
with the Congress.
There were hints during the
morning that changes in the pack
age had been made. Presidential
counselor Edwin Meese said
there had been “adaptations, ” and
Foreign Relations Chairman
Charles Percy, R-Ill., was told by
aides there had been "major
changes” in Haig’s statement from
what the committee had seen
Wednesday night.
Beyond the main provision on
personnel, Haig said the “under
standing” with the Saudis includes
these points:
— “There will be complete da
ta sharing with the United States
on a continuing basis.
— “There will be no sharing of
AWACS data with any other par
ties without U.S. consent.
— “There will be no operation
of Saudi AWACS outside Saudi
airspace.
— “Extensive and elaborate se
curity measures for safeguarding
equipment and technology.
— “U.S. inspection teams will
monitor the performance of all
equipment associated with the
AWACS sale.
— "Special facilities will be
constructed to provide round-
the-clock security protection
against unauthorized entry.
— “All of the agreed arrange-
locial Security
Jut $60 million
ibleat
nutes
I United Press International
WASHINGTON — John Hen-
fiydnor of Baltimore died May
1, 1977, but as in the cases of
bout 8,000 other dead people, his
ocial Security benefits kept flow-
■ —totaling $14,287 over four
ears.
1] Overall, deceased persons
fee mailed benefits — for up to
fiears—adding up to more than
60 million. Investigators believe
I money was pocketed by
finds, relatives or even Social
lecurity employees.
fiSocial Security Administration
fief John Svahn says he is
astounded” by the costly blun-
fi, which was disclosed
Wednesday.
■"The thing that amazes me the
fist is that no one ever thought
put it; no one ever did anything
PG put it,” Svahn said.
Sydnor’s son John Henry Syd-
irJr., a respected photographer,
Mk his life last week, just hours
r an FBI agent asked Sydnor
ut his deposit of his father’s
nthly benefit checks in his own
pnk account.
Investigators surmised the
hunger Sydnor succumbed to the
Sfemptation created by the govern
ment bungle, and was overcome
by the damage the incident would
lo to his reputation.
Federal prosecutors in New
ifork, Chicago, Los Angeles and
3ther major cities are picking up
the pieces, considering criminal
charges against those who capital
ized on the error and kept the pay
ments, which now average $374 a
month.
Richard Kusserow, inspector
general for the Department of
Health and Human Services
whose office began the inquiry,
said the costly glitch in SSA’s pay
ment system occurred because
agency employees failed to follow
up on Medicare death reports.
While the Health Care Financ
ing Administration regularly filed
reports with the SSA on the death
of Medicare patients, they never
were matched with payment lists
to ensure retirement and disabil
ity benefits were cut off, he said.
The longest period of undue
payments dated back 15 years to
1966, when Medicare was begun
by President Lyndon Johnson.
Kusserow said in some cases re
latives simply saved benefit
checks — for up to 10 years — and
returned them when confronted
by investigators.
Department officials said such
government checks still are nego
tiable, and it will be up to United
States attorneys to decide
whether to seek criminal indict
ments in those cases.
Kusserow also said investigators
are looking into the possibility that
Social Security employees who
monitor death notices have
allowed payments to continue, di
verting them to their own
accounts.
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ramt a^M
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ments for protecting the security
of AWACS must be approved by
the United States at least one
year before any AWACS are de
livered to the Saudis.”
In an apparent move to have
more time to study and negotiate,
Reagan Wednesday delayed for
mal notification of the proposed
deal to Congress.
High-ranking Saudi officials
have warned they will not accept
changes in control of the aircraft
Und have said a congressional veto
would harm Saudi-American rela
tions.
United Press International
AUSTIN — Tighter federal
restrictions made 97,000 Tex
ans ineligible for welfare be
nefits, Wednesday, the com
missioner of the Department of
Human Resources said.
The mandatory reductions
resulted from the Omnibus Re
conciliation Act signed by Presi
dent Reagan in August. The
measure tightened eligility re
quirements for food stamps and
aid to families with dependent
children.
Because of the new restric
tions, 65,000 Texans lost their
eligibility for food stamps and
another 32,000 no longer are
eligible to receive AFDC
paymets.
Before the new restrictions
went into effect, there were
1,290,250 Texans eligible for
food stamps. Johnston said the
food stamp program put about
$726.9 million a year into the
Texas economy, but that figure
will decline to $660.5 million
annually because of the new eli
gibility restrictions.
Under the new restrictions, a
family of four would be ineligi
ble for AFDC payments if its
gross income exceeds $301.50
per month.
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846-1860
1503 University Dr.
~ 4* -
Sragroaij
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Old
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$2.15
bacard 1
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Cuervo
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Vodka 8
750 ML
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