Reagan Wins 1st Victory on Contra Aid : Panel OKs Request After Rebuffs by 3 Other Committees

WASHINGTON — After three straight defeats by other panels, and on a quick vote that some members called “railroaded,” the House Armed Services Committee today gave President Reagan his first preliminary victory on his request for a $100-million aid plan for the rebels fighting the Marxist-led Nicaragua government.

The vote came after a denial by Reagan that the Administration has any plans to send U.S. troops into Nicaragua.

The House Armed Services Committee--without debate or a recorded vote--approved the request for the contras in only 30 seconds. Earlier, the House Appropriations Committee, needing only 12 minutes, turned down the proposal on a voice vote.

Armed Services Committee Chairman Les Aspin (D-Wis.) called for a voice vote on the request and quickly declared it approved, although several “no” votes were heard.

Only four committee members raised their hands demanding a roll call. Aspin later said five votes were needed for a roll call.

Speed Questioned

Asked by reporters why the committee had acted as it did, Aspin replied, “Why not?” He said he does not know how he will vote on the request once it is on the House floor.

Rep. Nicholas Mavroulas (D-Mass.), an opponent of contra aid, called the quick vote a “railroad job.”

Rep. Patricia Schroeder (D-Colo.) said the quick vote came about because “people didn’t want to go on the record” on contra aid.

“On the House floor it’s going to be a real battle,” she said.

State Department spokesman Charles E. Redman said of the committee vote backing the contra aid, “None of this is final, but, of course, that’s a positive development.”

Closer Than Expected

White House spokesman Larry Speakes contended that the votes taken by two other panels Wednesday were “closer than we expected,” but he signaled no retreat from the aid request. “We think it’s all too important for us to back away from this at any time,” he said. “We will stick with it.”

House Speaker Thomas P. (Tip) O’Neill Jr. (D-Mass.) told CBS in an interview aired today that Reagan wants U.S. troops in Nicaragua.

“The policy hasn’t changed in this Administration since the first time . . . Mr. (Alexander M.) Haig came in within two weeks after he was secretary of state,” O’Neill said. “At that particular time he believed we ought to go into Grenada and he also was talking about going into Nicaragua; no question in my mind about that.”