Pentagon wages war to control export licenses

Sen. Robert Smith and Sen. Spencer Abraham have filed a bill seeking the transfer of the Dept. of Commerce's export licensing authority to the Dept. of Defense. Government sources claim that the measure was spurred by a long-running feud between both agencies, in which Defense officials accused the Commerce Dept. of not consulting them on license applications which may affect national security. Exporters generally oppose the legislation, saying that Defense officials would be more strict in handing out licenses.