[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 41 (Friday, March 22, 1996)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E430]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




           LEGISLATION TO AMEND FOREIGN ASSISTANCE INTRODUCED

                                 ______


                        HON. BENJAMIN A. GILMAN

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                         Friday, March 22, 1996

  Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to introduce legislation which 
amends the Foreign Assistance Act [FAA] and the Arms Export Control Act 
[AECA] to make improvements to certain defense and security assistance 
provisions under those acts, to authorize the transfer of naval vessels 
to certain foreign countries, and for other purposes.
  There are two titles to this bill. The first title--Defense and 
Security Assistance--is nearly identical to the text of title 31 of 
H.R. 1561, the American Overseas Interests Act, which the Committee on 
International Relations marked up and reported out during the first 
session of the 104th Congress.
  Title I amends authorities under the FAA and the AECA to revise and 
consolidate security assistance authorities, in particular by 
eliminating outdated policy and statutory language. In addition, this 
title moves provisions which have been carried on annual appropriations 
measures into permanent authorization law where they belong. In other 
words, title I of this bill fulfills the committee's responsibilities 
as an authorizing committee.
  Title II of this bill--Transfer of Naval Vessels to Certain Foreign 
Countries--authorizes the transfer of 10 ships to the following 
countries: Egypt, 1; Mexico 2; New Zealand, 2; Portugal, 1; Taiwan, 4; 
and Thailand 1. Eight of these ships are being sold, one is being 
leased, and one is a grant transfer (Portugal).
  Legislation authorizing the transfer of these naval vessels is 
required by section 7307(a) of title X (U.S.C.) which provides in part 
that ``a naval vessel that is in excess of 3,000 tons or that is less 
than 20 years of age may not be disposed of to another nation (whether 
by sale, lease, grant, loan, barter, transfer, or otherwise) unless the 
disposition of that vessel is approved by law * * * '' Each naval 
vessel proposed for transfer in this legislation displaces in excess of 
3,000 tons and/or is less than 20 years of age.
  The United States will incur no costs for the transfer of the naval 
vessels under this legislation. In addition to the revenue generated by 
the sale of eight of these ships, which amounts to over $70 million, 
title II of this bill will also generate over $500 million in revenue 
to the public treasury and private firms for repair, reactivation, 
services, and future ammunition sales.
  I commend this bill to the Members of the House of Representatives 
and, in particular, to the Committee on International Relations.

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