[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: WILLIAM J. CLINTON (2000, Book I)]
[February 15, 2000]
[Page 256]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]


[[Page 256]]


Letter to Congressional Leaders Transmitting a Report on Actions on 
Digital Computer Exports
February 15, 2000

Dear __________:
    In accordance with the provisions of section 1211(d) of the National 
Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1998 (Public Law 105-85) (the 
``Act''), I hereby notify you of my decision to establish a new level 
for the notification procedure for digital computers set forth in 
section 1211(a) of the Act. The new level will be 12,500 millions of 
theoretical operations per second (MTOPS). In accordance with the 
provisions of section 1211(e), I hereby notify you of my decision to 
remove Romania from the list of countries covered under section 1211(b). 
I have taken this action based on the recommendation of the Departments 
of Defense, Commerce, State, and Energy. The enclosed report provides 
the rationale supporting these decisions and fulfills the requirements 
of sections 1211(d) and (e) of the Act.
    Section 1211(d) provides that any adjustment to the control level 
described in section 1211(a) cannot take effect until 180 days after 
receipt of this report by the Congress. Section 1211(e) provides that 
any deletion of a country from the Tier 3 group cannot take effect until 
120 days after the Congress is notified. Given the rapid pace of 
technological change in the information technology industry, these time 
periods are too lengthy. I hope that we can work together to reduce both 
notification periods to 30 days. Such changes will permit implementation 
of my current decision and future changes in a more timely fashion.
    I have directed the Secretary of Commerce to adjust the level at 
which an individual license is required for computer exports to Tier 3 
countries. For sales to military entities, the level will be raised from 
6,500 MTOPS to 12,500 MTOPS. For sales to civilian end users, the new 
level will be raised from 12,300 MTOPS to 20,000 MTOPS. I have also 
directed the Secretary of Commerce to adjust the level at which an 
individual license is required for computer exports to Tier 2 countries 
from 20,000 MTOPS to 33,000 MTOPS. Given anticipated significant 
increases in microprocessor performance in the near term, the 
Secretaries of Commerce and Defense will review these levels, as well as 
the level described in section 1211(a), by April 2000, to determine if 
further adjustments are necessary at that time.
    The aforementioned adjustments will take place immediately, with the 
exception of the change to the individual licensing level for military 
end users in Tier 3, which will coincide with the change for the 
notification provisions of the Act, section 1211(a). Both changes will 
become effective at the end of the 180-day notification period, unless 
the Congress provides for a shorter period.
    I look forward to working cooperatively with the Congress on these 
issues.
        Sincerely,

                                                      William J. Clinton

Note: Identical letters were sent to John W. Warner, chairman, and Carl 
Levin, ranking member, Senate Committee on Armed Services; Phil Gramm, 
chairman, and Paul S. Sarbanes, ranking member, Senate Committee on 
Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs; Floyd Spence, chairman, and Ike 
Skelton, ranking member, House Committee on Armed Services; and Benjamin 
A. Gilman, chairman, and Sam Gejdenson, ranking member, House Committee 
on International Relations. This letter was released by the Office of 
the Press Secretary on February 16.