[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 130 (Friday, September 25, 1998)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1817]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               THE CODE OF CONDUCT ON ARMS TRANSFERS ACT

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. JERROLD NADLER

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                       Friday, September 25, 1998

  Mr. NADLER. Mr. Speaker, I rise to express my support for H.R. 4545, 
the Code of Conduct on Arms Transfers Act of 1998, introduced by 
Representatives McKinney and Rohrabacher.
  We must do more to curb arms sales and military assistance to 
dictators and human rights abusers around the world. The United States 
should stop supplying arms to governments that use these weapons to 
oppress and murder their civilian populations, as well as engage in 
illegal acts of aggression against their neighbors.
  The United States is a leading arms merchant to the world. In 1995, 
U.S. arms exports amounted to $15.6 billion, three times that of the 
next supplier and 49 percent of the world's arms exports. The United 
States must take the lead in curbing arms sales abroad. If we lead, the 
world will follow. Our nation's resources must not be used to prop up 
dictators or promote international aggression. The Code of Conduct on 
Arms Transfers Act would put an end to this shameful practice.
  This legislation would prohibit U.S. military assistance and arms 
transfers to a foreign government unless the President certifies that 
the country is genuinely democratic, does not engage in human rights 
violations, is not engaged in illegal acts of armed aggression, and 
participates in the United Nations Register of Conventional Arms by 
annually reporting to the U.N. the numbers and types of weapons it 
possesses and transfers.
  This bill also requires the Administration to work with other nations 
to limit arms transfers worldwide and urge other nations not to sell 
weapons to countries that the United States has deemed ineligible to 
receive U.S. arms sales. International cooperation, in the context of a 
reformed U.S. arms sales policy, is critical if we are to protect 
innocent people from military aggression by undemocratic governments. 
This is an essential component of the McKinney-Rohrabacher bill, and it 
will be most effective only after we begin to limit U.S. arms sales.
  The McKinney-Rohrabacher Code of Conduct would help the United States 
to bring its military policy into accord with its other international 
efforts to promote global peace, security, and prosperity. I urge my 
colleagues to cosponsor H.R. 4545. Thank you.

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