[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 66 (Thursday, May 21, 1998)]
[House]
[Page H3632]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 REAGAN ADMINISTRATION ALLOWED MILITARY TECHNOLOGY TO BE SOLD TO ROGUE 
                                 NATION

  (Mr. GUTIERREZ asked and was given permission to address the House 
for 1 minute.)
  Mr. GUTIERREZ. Mr. Speaker, I rise with a sad duty today. I rise to 
present documents showing a direct link between campaign contributions 
and administration decisions that allowed military technology to be 
sold to a rogue nation.
  Yes, the Departments of Commerce and State took a series of steps 
allowing military sales to international pariahs. When was this? In the 
1980s, during the Reagan administration. And one country buying the 
equipment, Iraq, would later turn those weapons on us.
  But why would Ronald Reagan do such a thing? Well, using the same 
tactics that other Members have used this week, I checked to see who 
benefited from those sales. Guess who? The same defense contractors who 
contributed millions and millions of dollars to the Republicans during 
the 1980s.
  Today we are hearing accusations of treason, of aiding Communist 
dictators. Well, according to the 1983 Washington Post article, the 
Commerce Department, then under Ronald Reagan, was found to have made 
decisions that ``enabled the Soviet Union to improve the accuracy of 
its nuclear missiles.''
  We want to investigate sales of military technology? We want to tie 
campaign contributions to administration waivers or accuse the White 
House of aiding Communists?
  Let us investigate the President. President Ronald Reagan.

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