P.M. BRIEFING : Cut in Sugar Support Rejected

WASHINGTON — The Senate voted today to keep the sugar support price at 18 cents a pound, rejecting a proposed 2-cent cut with arguments it was a softheaded idea that would hurt U.S. farmers and workers.

Sen. Bill Bradley (D-N.J.) vainly argued that the sugar program, which guarantees farmers a minimum price for sugar and sharply limits imports of lower-priced foreign sugar, was “the S&L; of the farm program.”

The 54-44 vote to kill Bradley’s amendment marked the second time the Senate Agriculture Committee has prevailed in a showdown on the new farm policy bill. Senators refused last week to cut off crop subsidies to large farmers. There are no restrictions at present.

The Bush Administration had supported the cut in the sugar support price, which it said would be equal to the cuts that other commodities face under the 1985 farm law.