House panel split on how to deal with Nicaragua bill

The House Foreign Affairs Committee is split over whether to meet privately to consider a bill that would cut off CIA support for Nicaraguan rebels. The question forced the committee Wednesday to postpone debate on the bill previously approved by the House Intelligence Committee. Democrats on the Foreign Affairs Committee said they want to be able to freely discuss classified information. But Republicans, who generally oppose the cutoff bill, said the committee should work in public.

Last week, the committee approved a compromise plan for extra military aid to El Salvador. The vote was not unanimous, as inaccurately reported in this column May 12, but 36-1, with Rep. George W. Crockett Jr. (D) of Michigan voting against the plan.