NATION : Funds for Overseas Bases Cut

WASHINGTON —  The Senate today approved an $8.5-billion military construction bill that slashes President Bush’s request for bases overseas but adds millions of dollars for domestic projects.

By voice vote, the Senate adopted the legislation and sent it to Bush for his signature.

The bill cuts military construction spending in fiscal 1990 by $461 million from what was spent during the fiscal year that ended Sept. 30 and is $65 million below what Bush wanted to spend this year.

“I think we’ve seen the peak of military construction spending for many years to come,” said Sen. Jim Sasser (D-Tenn.), chairman of the Senate Appropriations subcommittee on military construction. “Next year may be even smaller than the bill here today.”