[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 93 (Monday, June 11, 2007)]
[House]
[Pages H6202-H6204]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




PROHIBITION ON SALE BY DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE OF PARTS FOR F-14 FIGHTER 
                                AIRCRAFT

  Ms. GIFFORDS. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 1441) to prohibit the sale by the Department of Defense of 
parts for F-14 fighter aircraft, as amended.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 1441

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. PROHIBITION ON SALE BY DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE OF 
                   PARTS FOR F-14 FIGHTER AIRCRAFT.

       (a) Findings.--Congress makes the following findings:
       (1) The Department of Defense is responsible for 
     demilitarizing and auctioning off sensitive surplus United 
     States military equipment.
       (2) F-14 ``Tomcat'' fighter aircraft have recently been 
     retired, and their parts are being made available by auction 
     in large quantities.
       (3) Iran is the only country, besides the United States, 
     flying F-14 fighter aircraft and is purchasing surplus parts 
     for such aircraft from brokers.
       (4) The Government Accountability Office has, as a result 
     of undercover investigative work, declared the acquisition of 
     the surplus United States military equipment, including parts 
     for F-14 fighter aircraft, to be disturbingly effortless.
       (5) Upon the seizure of such sensitive surplus military 
     equipment being sold to Iran, United States customs agents 
     have discovered these same items, having been resold by the 
     Department of Defense, being brokered illegally to Iran 
     again.
       (6) Iran is pursuing a nuclear weapons capability, and the 
     Department of State has identified Iran as the most active 
     state sponsor of terrorism.
       (7) Iran continues to provide funding, safe haven, 
     training, and weapons to known terrorist groups, including 
     Hizballah, HAMAS, the Palestine Islamic Jihad, and the 
     Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine.
       (8) The sale of spare parts for F-14 fighter aircraft could 
     make it more difficult to confront the nuclear weapons 
     capability of Iran and would strengthen the ground war 
     capability of Iran. To prevent these threats to regional and 
     global security, the sale of spare parts for F-14 fighter 
     aircraft should be prohibited.
       (b) Prohibition on Sale by Department of Defense.--
       (1) In general.--Notwithstanding any other provision of law 
     and except as provided in paragraph (2), the Department of 
     Defense may not sell (whether directly or indirectly) any 
     parts for F-14 fighter aircraft, whether through the Defense 
     Reutilization and Marketing Service or through another agency 
     or element of the Department.
       (2) Exception.--Paragraph (1) shall not apply with respect 
     to the sale of parts for F-14 fighter aircraft to a museum or 
     similar organization located in the United States that is 
     involved in the preservation of F-14 fighter aircraft for 
     historical purposes.
       (c) Prohibition on Export License.--No license for the 
     export of parts for F-14 fighter aircraft to a non-United 
     States person or entity may be issued by the United States 
     Government.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from 
Arizona (Ms. Giffords) and the gentleman from Arkansas (Mr. Boozman) 
each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from Arizona.


                             General Leave

  Ms. GIFFORDS. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and 
include extraneous material on the bill under consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentlewoman from Arizona?
  There was no objection.
  Ms. GIFFORDS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  I rise today in strong support of H.R. 1441, a bill that will put an 
end to military surplus sales that may inadvertently be helping to 
sustain Iran's Air Force.
  First, I would like to thank Chairman Lantos and Chairman Skelton for 
their leadership on this issue. I appreciate the opportunity to discuss 
this critical national security issue.
  The background to this problem begins in the 1970s when our country 
sold F-14 Tomcats to Iran's pro-Western secular government. Iran was a 
close ally of the United States at the time and needed the capabilities 
of the F-14 in a dangerous part of the world. Times have changed, 
unfortunately. And Iran has now called for the destruction of Israel 
and is refining uranium in what many observers from the non-
proliferation community believe is an attempt to develop the fuel 
necessary for an atomic weapon.
  Iran is a state sponsor of terrorism and is likely responsible for 
arming insurgents in Iraq. Iran has ignored the calls of the 
international community for greater transparency in its nuclear power 
research and development, and the United Nations Security Council 
recently imposed stricter economic sanctions on Iran as a result.
  When the United States Navy retired the F-14 fleet last September, 
that left Iran as the only nation still flying those aircraft. Iran has 
been trying to get around United States sanctions and export controls 
to secure the parts necessary to keep the F-14 flying. Recent

[[Page H6203]]

undercover investigations and reports have made it clear that Iran may 
have been successful.
  Following an undercover investigation, the GAO reported in 2006 that 
acquiring surplus military hardware not properly demilitarized is 
disturbingly easy.
  In January of this year, the Associated Press reported that front 
companies were able to secretly purchase military parts for resale in 
Iran. Iran is the only nation still using the F-14. There are no other 
legitimate buyers overseas.
  In order to address this issue, I worked with my colleague from New 
Mexico, Mr. Pearce. And after a joint trip to Israel, we introduced 
H.R. 1441, which will prevent the United States Government from selling 
approximately 10,000 parts that are unique only to the F-14 Tomcat.
  This legislation will prohibit the military, as well as any other 
private company, from selling F-14-specific parts. It is also, Mr. 
Speaker, a complete ban on all international sales of parts specific to 
the F-14.
  We cannot take the risk that components unique to the F-14 could be 
resold to Iran. The text of this bill was included in the fiscal year 
2008 defense authorization bill, H.R. 1585, as section 1049.
  The House Armed Services Committee approved the language in its 
markup of that bill, and the House Committee on Foreign Affairs has 
already marked up the specific bill and has reported it favorably.
  Mr. Speaker, we must take the responsibility to ensure that our 
military hardware never falls into the hands of nations hostile to the 
United States and can never be used against our men and women in 
uniform and not used against our allies.
  I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 1441.
  I include for the Record an exchange of letters related to this bill 
between Chairman Skelton of the Armed Services Committee and Chairman 
Lantos of the Foreign Affairs Committee.
                                                     June 8, 2007.
     Hon. Tom Lantos,
     Chairman, Committee on Foreign Affairs, Rayburn House Office 
         Building, Washington, DC.
       Dear Mr. Chairman, On March 27, 2007, the Committee on 
     Foreign Affairs ordered reported favorably H.R. 1441, ``The 
     Stop Arming Iran Act.'' This legislation contains subject 
     matter within the jurisdiction of the House Committee on 
     Armed Services, and thus, was sequentially referred to the 
     Committee on Armed Services by the Parliamentarian for the 
     House.
       Our Committee recognizes the importance of H.R. 1441 and 
     the need for the legislation to move expeditiously. 
     Therefore, while we have a valid claim to jurisdiction over 
     this legislation, the Committee on Armed Services will waive 
     further consideration of H.R. 1441. I do so with the 
     understanding that by waiving further consideration of the 
     bill, the Committee does not waive any future jurisdictional 
     claims over similar measures. In the event of a conference 
     with the Senate on this bill, the Committee on Armed Services 
     reserves the right to seek the appointment of conferees.
       I would appreciate the inclusion of this letter and a copy 
     of the response in your Committee's report on H.R. 1441 and 
     in the Congressional Record during consideration of the 
     measure on the House floor.
           Very truly yours,
                                                       Ike Skelton
     Chairman.
                                  ____

                                                     June 8, 2007.
     Hon. Ike Skelton,
     Chairman, Committee on Armed Services, House of 
         Representatives, Rayburn House Office Building, 
         Washington, DC.
       Dear Mr. Chairman: Thank you for your letter regarding H.R. 
     1441, an Act to Strengthen Controls on the Export of Surplus 
     F-14 Fighter Aircraft Parts.
       I appreciate your willingness to work cooperatively on this 
     legislation. I recognize that the bill contains provisions 
     that fall within the jurisdiction of the Committee on Armed 
     Services. I acknowledge that your Committee will not seek a 
     sequential referral of the bill and agree that the inaction 
     of your Committee with respect to the bill does not in any 
     way serve as a jurisdictional precedent as to our two 
     committees.
       Further, as to any House-Senate conference on the bill, I 
     understand that your Committee reserves the right to seek the 
     appointment of conferees for consideration of portions of the 
     bill that are within the Committee's jurisdiction, and I 
     agree to support a request by the Committee with respect to 
     serving as conferees on the bill, consistent with the 
     Speaker's practice in this regard.
       I will ensure that our exchange of letters is included in 
     any Committee report on the bill and in the Congressional 
     Record at the time of consideration by the whole House. I 
     look forward to working with you on this important 
     legislation.
           Cordially,
                                                       Tom Lantos,
                                                         Chairman.

  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. BOOZMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  I would like to thank Representative Giffords for her leadership on 
this issue, as well as Chairman Lantos for sponsoring the committee 
amendment clarifying the intent and impact of this legislation.
  Earlier this year as a result of the Federal sting operation, 
Congress learned that Iran had illegally purchased parts for F-14 
fighter planes from a U.S. military surplus store. According to 
investigators, the incident was just one piece of a larger ring of 
illegally sold military surplus parts that found their way to China and 
Iran.
  The report prompted the Pentagon's Defense Logistics Agency to 
suspend sales of the F-14 components.

                              {time}  1600

  Military surplus offices are supposed to demilitarize parts, which 
would render them useless for military purposes.
  They are also allowed to auction the parts but only to buyers who 
promise to obey U.S. arms embargoes, export controls, and other laws. 
That was not the case, however, with these particular F-14 parts.
  As Members are aware, Tehran is in search of several key components 
for its aging fleet of F-14 Tomcat jets, which the United States sold 
to Iran prior to its 1979 Islamic revolution. This bill will add 
another layer of protection to the extensive array of export sanctions 
already imposed on Iran under the International Economic Emergency 
Powers Act and related executive orders.
  The committee amendment recognizes these facts and adjusts the title 
of the bill to more accurately reflect the purpose of the bill.
  Mr. Speaker, given the clear and present danger Iran poses to the 
national security interests of the United States and to the broader 
peace and stability of the Middle East, this is an appropriate and 
timely measure for our consideration today.
  I want to thank again Ms. Giffords and Mr. Pearce, and I support the 
adoption of the resolution.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Ms. GIFFORDS. Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the gentleman from 
Arkansas for his comments, and I indeed think that this is an important 
piece of legislation that will further support our interests abroad and 
make sure that parts like the F-14 Tomcat are not sold to the Iranians.
  Mr. PEARCE. Mr. Speaker, we must utilize every resource available 
while fighting the Global War on Terror. Currently, we are fighting two 
major combat operations in Iraq and Afghanistan which are critical to 
implementing democracy and peace throughout the Middle East. In both 
these areas we have a common enemy that continues to increase its 
forces. Recent reports have shown that Iran is supplying arms to both 
the terrorists in Iraq and the Taliban in Afghanistan.
  Every night on the news we see the price we pay in a two front war 
against a sinister and studious enemy. It is difficult enough to fight 
an insurgency inspired by hatred, let alone an enemy supported by a 
sovereign nation such as Iran.
  Reports of Iranian weapons and funds surfacing both in Iraq and 
Afghanistan are indicators that Iran is willing to use other countries 
to attack American interests without having to sacrifice their own sons 
and daughters. We are fighting a cowardly enemy which uses others to do 
its dirty work for them. This is state sponsored terrorism and we must 
take steps to cut off the resources they use to fund our enemies.
  In addition, under the guise of energy development, Iran continues a 
program that puts them closer and closer to developing weapons grade 
plutonium. I have severe reservations allowing this program continue 
until Iranian President Ahmadinejad can unequivocally prove that he 
does not have intentions of someday creating and using a nuclear 
warhead against the United States, Israel, Europe or other Allies.
  This legislation is crucial in the Global War on Terror because it is 
a tangible indicator to Iran, and all other nations which harbor or 
sponsor terrorist tactics in any form, that we will not allow the 
violence to escalate any further. By preventing the sale of F-14s in 
whole or part to Iran we will be cutting off the supply of arms that 
may someday be used to kill American soldiers.

[[Page H6204]]

  I congratulate my colleague and Congressional neighbor from Arizona 
for her hard work and dedication to this issue. It is important for our 
safety as a country, as well as the world's freedom from terrorism, 
that we cut off the supply of F-14 parts to Iran. I call to my friends 
on both sides of the aisle for overwhelming bipartisan support of this 
legislation.
  Ms. GIFFORDS. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I 
yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. BOOZMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentlewoman from Arizona (Ms. Giffords) that the House suspend the 
rules and pass the bill, H.R. 1441, as amended.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
  The title was amended so as to read: ``A bill to strengthen controls 
on the export of surplus parts for F-14 fighter aircraft.''
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

                          ____________________