The Nation - News from May 12, 1987

The House, working its way through a $288-billion defense bill, voted to permit the Pentagon to use a limited program of lie detector tests to try to catch spies. Under the current system, the Pentagon can only give 7,000 lie detector tests a year on a random basis for counterintelligence purposes. However, the action by the House, in a 345-44 vote, would raise the total to 20,000 polygraph tests a year in each of the next two fiscal years. The vote would also extend the program beyond Sept. 30.