[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 180 (Wednesday, October 21, 2020)]
[Senate]
[Pages S6371-S6372]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                            MORNING BUSINESS

                                 ______
                                 

                        ARMS SALES NOTIFICATION

  Mr. RISCH. Mr. President, section 36(b) of the Arms Export Control 
Act requires that Congress receive prior notification of certain 
proposed arms sales as defined by that statute. Upon such notification, 
the Congress has 30 calendar days during which the sale may be 
reviewed. The provision stipulates that, in the Senate, the 
notification of proposed sales shall be sent to the chairman of the 
Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
  In keeping with the committee's intention to see that relevant 
information is available to the full Senate, I ask unanimous consent to 
have printed in the Record the notifications which have been received. 
If the cover letter references a classified annex, then such annex is 
available to all Senators in the office of the Foreign Relations 
Committee, room SD-423.
  There being no objection, the material was be printed in the Record, 
as follows:

                                                  Defense Security


                                           Cooperation Agency,

                                                    Arlington, VA.
     Hon. James E. Risch,
     Chairman, Committee on Foreign Relations,
     U.S. Senate, Washington, DC.
       Dear Mr. Chairman: Pursuant to the reporting requirements 
     of Section 36(b)(1) of

[[Page S6372]]

     the Arms Export Control Act, as amended, we are forwarding 
     herewith Transmittal No. 20-75 concerning the Air Force's 
     proposed Letter(s) of Offer and Acceptance to the Taipei 
     Economic and Cultural Representative Office in the United 
     States (TECRO) for defense articles and services estimated to 
     cost $367.2 million. After this letter is delivered to your 
     office, we plan to issue a news release to notify the public 
     of this proposed sale.
           Sincerely,
                                                   Heidi H. Grant,
                                                         Director.
       Enclosures.


                         Transmittal No. 20-75

     Notice of Proposed Issuance of Letter of Offer Pursuant to 
         Section 36(b)(1) of the Arms Export Control Act, as 
         amended
       (i) Prospective Purchaser: Taipei Economic and Cultural 
     Representative Office in the United States (TECRO)
       (ii) Total Estimated Value:
       Major Defense Equipment * $0 million.
       Other $367.2 million.
       Total $367.2 million.
       (iii) Description and Quantity or Quantities of Articles or 
     Services under Consideration for Purchase:
       Major Defense Equipment (MDE):
       None.
       Non-MDE: Six (6) MS-110 Recce Pods, three (3) Transportable 
     Ground Stations; one (1) Fixed Ground station; spare and 
     repair parts; repair and return; site surveys; integration 
     and test equipment; system support and equipment; personnel 
     training and training equipment; publications and technical 
     documentation; U.S. Government and contractor engineering, 
     technical, and logistical support services; and other related 
     elements of logistical and program support.
       (iv) Military Department: Air Force (TW-D-QAS).
       (v) Prior Related Cases, if any: None.
       (vi) Sales Commission, Fee, etc., Paid, Offered, or Agreed 
     to be Paid: None.
       (vii) Sensitivity of Technology Contained in the Defense 
     Article or Defense Services Proposed to be Sold: See Attached 
     Annex.
       (viii) Date Report Delivered to Congress: October 21, 2020.
       * As defined in Section 47(6) of the Arms Export Control 
     Act.


                          Policy Justification

Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in the United States 
                    (TECRO)--MS-110 Recce Pod System

       TECRO has requested to buy six (6) MS-110 Recce Pods; three 
     (3) Transportable Ground Stations; one (1) Fixed Ground 
     station; spare and repair parts; repair and return; site 
     surveys; integration and test equipment; system support and 
     equipment; personnel training and training equipment; 
     publications and technical documentation; U.S. Government and 
     contractor engineering, technical, and logistical support 
     services; and other related elements of logistical and 
     program support. The total estimated program cost is $367.2 
     million.
       This proposed sale is consistent with U.S. law and policy 
     as expressed in Public Law 96-8.
       This proposed sale serves U.S. national, economic, and 
     security interests by supporting the recipient's continuing 
     efforts to modernize its armed forces and to maintain a 
     credible defensive capability. The proposed sale will help 
     improve the security of the recipient and assist in 
     maintaining political stability, military balance, economic 
     and progress in the region.
       This proposed sale will improve the recipient's capability 
     to meet current and future threats by providing timely 
     Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR), 
     capabilities for its security and defense. The enhanced 
     capability is a deterrent to regional threats and will 
     strengthen the recipient's self-defense. The recipient will 
     have no difficulty absorbing these systems into its armed 
     forces.
       The proposed sale of this equipment and support will not 
     alter the basic military balance in the region.
       The principal contractor will be Collins Aerospace, 
     Westford, MA. The purchaser typically requests offsets. Any 
     offset agreement will be defined in negotiations between the 
     purchaser and the contractor.
       Implementation of this proposed sale will not require the 
     assignment of any additional U.S. Government or contractor 
     representatives to the recipient.
       There will be no adverse impact on U.S. defense readiness 
     as a result of this proposed sale.


                         Transmittal No. 20-75

     Notice of Proposed Issuance of Letter of Offer Pursuant to 
         Section 36(b)(1) of the Arms Export Control Act

                           Annex Item No. vii

       (vii) Sensitivity of Technology:
       1. The MS-110 is a Non-Program of Record electro-optic and 
     infrared airborne reconnaissance system with long range, day/
     night, multi-spectral sensor technology. The multi-spectral 
     sensor lets the end user see color and better distinguish 
     subtle features that traditional gray-scale imagery cannot. 
     The pod can transmit imagery via a datalink to ground-
     stations for near-real time analysis and exploitation.
       2. The highest level of classification of information 
     included in this potential sale is UNCLASSIFIED.
       3. If a technologically advanced adversary were to obtain 
     knowledge of the hardware and software elements, the 
     information could be used to develop countermeasures or 
     equivalent systems, which might reduce system effectiveness 
     or be used in the development of a system with similar or 
     advanced capabilities.
       4. A determination has been made that the recipient can 
     provide substantially the same degree of protection for the 
     sensitive technology being released as the U.S. Government. 
     This sale is necessary in furtherance of the U.S. foreign 
     policy and national security objectives outlined in the 
     Policy Justification.
       5. All defense articles and services listed in this 
     transmittal have been authorized for release and export to 
     the recipient.

                          ____________________