[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 56 (Friday, April 15, 2011)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E764]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                           TAIWAN F-16 SALES

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. KAY GRANGER

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                         Friday, April 15, 2011

  Ms. GRANGER. Mr. Speaker, as a long-time friend of Taiwan and as a 
Member of Congress who has frequent interaction with Taiwanese American 
constituents, I rise today to bring a timely issue to your attention.
  My support for Taiwan, and especially for arms sales to Taiwan, is 
well-known and well-documented. As a matter of fact, I inserted a 
statement into the Congressional Record last spring calling for the 
expedient sale of F-16s to Taiwan.
  Recently, I read an article in the Taipei Times that left me rattled.
  On February 20, 2011, the director of the American Enterprise 
Institute's Program on Advanced Strategic Studies, Mr. Gary Schmitt, 
wrote in the Taipei Times, ``When your girlfriend refuses to set a date 
for a wedding, and does so over several years, it's probably a good 
idea to start looking around for another fiance. So it is today with 
Taiwan's efforts to procure more than five dozen F-16s from the U.S. 
This is a courtship from Taipei's end that has been going on since 
2006. After nearly five years, it's time to consider moving on.''
  I believe it is critical that we do not drive Taiwan to the point 
where they have to start looking for fighters elsewhere. This situation 
is especially concerning because it will cost the U.S. jobs at a time 
when the domestic economy--particularly my home state of Texas--could 
use all the help it can get.
  Mr. Speaker, let's not forget that today's Taiwan continues to be 
under an ominous shadow cast by the over 1,600 short- and medium-range 
ballistic missiles that the People's Republic of China (PRC) has aimed 
at it. The PRC continues to refuse to renounce the use of force against 
Taiwan, continues to claim Taiwan as a renegade province, and, to add 
insult to injury, passed an ``Anti-Secession Law'' on March 14, 2005, 
mandating military action if Taiwan moves toward formal de jure 
independence. We strongly condemned passage of this ``Anti-Secession 
Law'' when we passed House Concurrent Resolution 98 on March 16, 2005.
  Section 3(a) and (b) of the 1979 Taiwan Relations Act, which is the 
cornerstone of United States-Taiwan relations and the law of the land, 
stipulates that both the President and the Congress shall determine the 
nature and quantity of defense articles and services that we are 
legally bound to provide to Taiwan, based solely upon their judgment of 
the needs of Taiwan.
  Mr. Speaker, let me conclude my remarks by urging my esteemed 
colleagues to join me in requesting the President move ahead with the 
sale of F-16s to Taiwan at this time.

                          ____________________