[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 177 (Friday, November 18, 2011)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E2099-E2100]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                            TAIWAN AIRPOWER

                                 ______
                                 

                              HON. TED POE

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                       Friday, November 18, 2011

  Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, China should not dictate what America 
can or cannot do. But, when it comes to our Taiwan policy, it seems we 
kowtow to the wannabe empire of the East. China has over 1,400 missiles 
pointed at Taiwan, and military experts agree that Taiwan is losing its 
ability to even slow China

[[Page E2100]]

down if it chooses to attack. Yet China tells the U.S. ``don't sell F-
16s to Taiwan'' and so we don't.
  On September 21st, the Administration officially notified Congress of 
its decision to only offer Taiwan an upgrade of existing F-16A/Bs, 
rather than sell 66 new F-16 C/Ds as the Government in Taipei had 
requested. The C/D aircraft would've gone to replace the 30-year-old F-
5s. Now, the Ft. Worth, Texas production line may close because of lack 
of new orders. This should not be an issue. Our good friends, the 
Taiwanese, want to buy them.
  The U.S. needs to boost its economy and prevent Chinese aggression. 
This sale would've been good for everybody. Everybody, that is, except 
China. America has to do what is in our best interest. And, it is not 
in our best interest to give in to a brutal, communist regime while 
forsaking our democratic ally. I fully support selling modern aircraft 
to Taiwan.
  And that's just the way it is.

                          ____________________