[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 142 (Tuesday, October 4, 1994)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: October 4, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
                  EXPORT ADMINISTRATION ACT EXTENSION

                                 ______


                               speech of

                          HON. SAM COPPERSMITH

                               of arizona

                    in the house of representatives

                        Monday, October, 3, 1994

  Mr. COPPERSMITH. Mr. Speaker, I rise in reluctant support of 
extending the Export Administration Act temporarily. This year, 
Congress had a chance to rewrite our out-of-date and arcane trade laws 
and remove a burden faced by American businesses. Unfortunately, 
Congress dropped the ball.
  This year, the House Foreign Affairs Committee rewrote the Export 
Administration Act. That bill, H.R. 3937, removed many obstacles to 
trade and lightened the heavy burden many outdated regulations and 
procedures place on America's high-technology industries. 
Unfortunately, opposition more concerned with preserving turf than 
creating jobs killed action on these vitally needed reforms.
  This stalemate resulted from a disagreement over proposed amendments 
to H.R. 3937 from the House Armed Services Committee. These amendments 
would have made the reforms in H.R. 3937 essentially worthless, 
retaining ridiculous roadblocks to exports of routine commercial 
technology.
  Our export control laws must reflect recent dramatic changes in 
technology, in the world, and in the global economy. Our laws also must 
recognize the importance of international trade in domestic job 
creation. Equipment that American consumers, or foreign tourists for 
that matter, can purchase at a department or specialty store should not 
be subject to outdated bureaucratic export control regulations. Under 
the proposed Armed Services Committee amendment, the Department of 
Defense could hold up sales of the Macintosh portable computer I use in 
my office to France, the United Kingdom, or Germany.
  Making the current export control regime more restrictive, more 
bureaucratic, and more time-consuming would hurt our businesses and 
workers. Make no mistake about it, the Armed Services Committee 
amendment would have cost Arizona jobs.
  In light of the legislative stalemate, I urge my colleagues to 
support this temporary extension at this time, but not to forget the 
pressing need to reach a compromise that liberalizes the current 
restrictive control regime. To do otherwise handicaps American 
industry, hurts American exports, and does a grave disservice to 
American workers.