U.S. HOUSE PASSES MIDEAST GULF BILL
  The House today approved a bill
  requiring the Reagan administration to report to Congress on
  its Mideast Gulf policy but not restricting its actions.
      The vote in favor was despite a last-minute revolt by an
  alliance of liberal Democrats and conservative Republicans who
  sought to defeat it as a signal that a growing number of
  legislators oppose President Reagan's policies in the region.
      In the Senate, a leading Republican senator, former Senate
  Appropriations Committee Chairman Mark Hatfield of Oregon, said
  he would try to prevent consideration of the bill.
      He said he will put a so-called "hold" on the bill until he
  finds out whether the War Powers Act applies to protecting
  Kuwaiti tankers.
      Congressional leaders complain they were not consulted
  about plans to put the U.S. flag on Kuwaiti ships and some
  charged the policy could lead the U.S. into the Iran-Iraq war.
      Conservative Republicans said increasing the U.S. military
  obligation in the gulf would place impossible burdens on
  American servicemen and equipment, and warned it could lead to
  war.
      "It is a real snake pit at best and a powder keg that will
  blow sky-high at worst," said Wisconsin Rep. Toby Roth.
  

