[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]
WHITE HOUSE TO BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR TRANSFER OF TECHNOLOGY TO CHINA
(Mr. TIAHRT asked and was given permission to address the House for 1
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
Mr. TIAHRT. Mr. Speaker, the shift of the responsibility by the
Clinton administration for licensing the export of advanced technology
has created dangerous foreign policy and potentially jeopardized our
Nation's security.
The administration is stripping the State Department and the
Department of Defense from overseeing the export of advanced
technology. The result of this questionable policy is the export of
advanced satellite technology which can be used to perfect the
targeting of nuclear weapons to a hostile country like Communist China.
This raises serious questions, as was pointed out in a column by Mark
Levin in today's Washington Times. Questions like, what national
security interest was served when President Clinton personally
intervened, overruling objections from the Pentagon and the State
Department, to approve further technology transfers to the Communist
Chinese? Which Clinton administration officials were involved in this
decision?
After the Justice Department opened a criminal investigation into the
unauthorized technology transfer to the Communist Chinese in February
of 1996, why were the companies involved not suspended, at least
temporarily, from exporting further?
Mr. Speaker, potentially this could be a stunning betrayal of
American interests and national security. I urge my colleagues to join
me in holding the administration accountable for this dangerous
transfer of technology.
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