Todd Tiahrt: “the shift of the responsibility by the Clinton administration for licensing the export of advanced technology has…”

“the shift of the responsibility by the Clinton administration for licensing the export of advanced technology has created dangerous foreign policy and potentially jeopardized our Nation's security. The administration is stripping the State Department and the Department of Defense from overseeing the export of advanced technology. The result of this questionable policy is the export of advanced satellite technology which can be used to perfect the targeting of nuclear weapons to a hostile country like Communist China. This raises serious questions, as was pointed out in a column by Mark Levin in today's Washington Times. Questions like, what national security interest was served when President Clinton personally intervened, overruling objections from the Pentagon and the State Department, to approve further technology transfers to the Communist Chinese? Which Clinton administration officials were involved in this decision? After the Justice Department opened a criminal investigation into the unauthorized technology transfer to the Communist Chinese in February of 1996, why were the companies involved not suspended, at least temporarily, from exporting further? Mr. Speaker, potentially this could be a stunning betrayal of American interests and national security. I urge my colleagues to join me in holding the administration accountable for this dangerous transfer of technology.”