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Show Page THE HERALD, Provo, Utah, 74 Sunday, December 11, 1983 Second Opinions More issues by Herald readers, columnists and cartoonists Invincible' Fleet Plagued With Shortages Navy's tors found that the Navy was undersupplied in every category including such indispensable weapons as Harpoon anti-shi- p missiles, Walleye warheads, torpedoes and mines. The Navy is also woefully short of spare parts to keep its ships on the seas and its planes in the air. Not only carrier planes but the ground support equipment lack sufficient parts. Meanwhile, Navy Secretary John F. Lehman Jr. is clamoring p for more money to build a Navy when there aren't enough supplies to outfit the ships we now have and not enough spare parts to keep them WASHINGTON The U.S. Navy has put on an awesome show of force recently, with its dozens of gray ships arrayed in battle lines off the shores of Grenada and Lebanon. Viewed from afar, the fleet has been impressive. But viewed up close, in its particulars, the Navy is less inspiring. Some of its ships are simply unfit for service. Others are plagued by equipment shortages and failures. Only four or five of 600-shi- the Navy's 13 aircraft carriers can be deployed on a sustainable A nderson Jack basis. The combat planes they carry are short of vital spare parts. Over the last four years, the money squeezed out of the taxpayers for new ships and planes has increased 99 percent. Yet the money allocated to keep our F-1- 4 air-to-a- ir secret A a 1, Utahns - WASHINGTON Here's how area members of Congress voted on key issues during the week of Nov. 14: HOUSE ERA: Voted the proposed 278-14- to defeat 7 Equal Rights Amendment to the Constitution. Opponents of the ERA were joined by several Republican supporters of the taeasure who said it was unfair for the Democratic leadership to set a limit on debate. Proponents said the ERA has been thoroughly debated over the last 10 years and that discrimination against women still exists. Utah Reps. James Hansen, Dan Marriott and Howard Ni n all voted against the ERA proposal. 4 TAX REFORM: Defeated a tax reform package that would have raised $15 billion in federal revenue over the next three years by closing loopholes in the tax laws. Proponents argued that it would help decrease the $200 billion federal deficit, while opponents said it would adversely affect local and state governments' ability to sell bonds for housing and industrial development. Both Marriott and Nielson voted against the tax reform package. Hansen did not vote. SENATE IMF INCREASE: Voted 5 241-20- - guided-mis- sile destroyer that Lehman p wants as the backbone of his GAO assessA secret fleet: ment concluded that this floating Yet fortress is way there are 60 of them on the secretary's wish list. situation. -r The LHD-1- , the Marines newest assault ship: Internal Pentagon notes indicate that the and badly d vessel is designed. over-price- -- 600-shi- d. over-price- Aegis-equippe- cruiser: DDG-5- la ttii re- port by the GAO reveals that the ADM How They Voted garded as if they didn't exist. That way, they don't bring down the percentage of planes that are listed as "mission capable." The dismal truth is told in the Navy's own classified reports, which confirm the low combat readiness. Situation reports following recent naval exercises, for example, stressed the seriousness of the problem. Investigators for the General Accounting Office have reached the same conclusion after conducting classified studies of the Navy's readiness. Some of the findings have been shared with my associate Donald Goldberg. Reviewing 23 types of munitions, for example, the investiga existing naval forces combat ready has gone up only 17 percent. Worse, the admirals have vastly inflated the "mission capability" rates, which measure the Navy's combat readiness. The figures make the Navy far more formidable on paper than it is on the high seas. If an jet fighter can simply fly, for example, it's likely to be rated "mission capable." Yet it may not be able to launch its missiles, or its radar may be missing. And planes awaiting repairs are re- - The cruiser's radar defenses have yet to be tested in a realistic repaired. Subordinates who want to tell the truth are afraid to contradict Lehman. Witnesses heard Vice Adm. Robert Schoultz tell Rep. Jack Brooks, after a closed-doo- r hearing, that he'd be fired if he disagreed with the Navy secretary. Afterward, an aide denied that Schoultz said it. Classified reports provide examples of the kind of ships Lehman wants to buy with big bucks that might be better spent on essential weapons and supplies. Here are three: d The billion-dolla- r, Anti-ER- A - Fund. Proponents said the additional money is needed to ensure that the IMF can prevent several Third World countries from defaulting on their international bank loans. Opponents criticized the increase as a taxpayer bailout of the big banks. Sea Jake Garn voted for an increase for the IMF, but Sen. Orrin Hatch voted against an increase for the IMF. DEBT LIMIT: Voted 5840 to raise the ceiling on the U.S. public debt to $1.45 trillion. Opponents said the federal government should be trying to bring deficits down rather than increasing the amount it can borrow. Proponents said the in- -' crease is necessary to keep government operating. Senator Garn voted for increasing the public debt limit. 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