House-panel vote slashes Reagan defense budget

The Democratic-controlled House Budget Committee voted to raise defense spending in 1984 by an inflation-adjusted 4 percent, less than half of the 10 percent increase requested by President Reagan.

The defense budget passed after the Democrats defeated an amendment that would have forced them to state what defense programs would be cut back to hold spending to the 4 percent growth rate. The committee provided $235 billion for defence spending in 1984.