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I'D LIKE TO ADDRESS THE SENATE
ON AN AMENDMENT THAT I HAVE TO
THE PENDING LEGISLATION WHICH
WILL BE FAMILIAR TO MY
COLLEAGUES BECAUSE IT'S SIMILAR
TO A BIPARTISAN BILL THAT
SENATOR MENENDEZ OF NEW JERSEY
AND I HAVE INTRODUCED, A
STAND-ALONE BILL.
IT'S CALLED THE TAIWAN AIR POWER
MODERNIZATION ACT OF 2011.
IT DOES SOMETHING VERY SIMPLE
BUT SOMETHING VERY IMPORTANT,
IT REQUIRES THE UNITED STATES TO
RESPOND TO A REQUEST BY THE
GOVERNMENT OF TAIWAN TO PURCHASE
66 F-16 C AND D MODELS OF
FIREFIGHTER AIRCRAFT.
WHY IS THIS IMPORTANT?
WELL, IT'S IMPORTANT FOR ALL
SORTS OF REASONS.
ONE OF WHICH IS THAT AS ROBERT
KAPLAN RECENTLY POINTED OUT IN
AN OP-ED IN THE SEPTEMBER 23
EDITION OF "THE WASHINGTON
POST," HE SAID BY 2020, THE
UNITED STATES WILL NOT ABLE TO
DEFEND TAIWAN FROM A CHINESE AIR
ATTACK.
A 2009 RAND STUDY FOUND EVEN
WITH AMERICAN'S F-22S, TWO
CARRIER GROUPS IN THE REGION AND
ACCESS TO THE AIR BASE IN
OKINAWA, THE U.S. WILL NOT ABLE
TO DEFEND TAIWAN SO IT'S VERY
IMPORTANT THAT WE SELL TAIWAN AT
NO TAXPAYER EXPENSE, IT'S CASH
MONEY COMING FROM THE TAIWANESE
GOVERNMENT TO THE UNITED
STATES, IT HAPPENS TO SUSTAIN
ABOUT 2,300 JOBS RIGHT HERE IN
AMERICA, THAT WE SELL THEM
THESE F-16'S SO THEY CAN DEFEND
THEMSELVES.
DAN BLUMENTHAL, IN AN
OCTOBER 3, 2011 ARTICLE
PUBLISHED BY THE AMERICAN
ENTERPRISE INSTITUTE LISTS WHAT
HE CALLS THE TOP TEN UNICORNS OF
CHINA POLICY.
HE SAID IN THE ARTICLE, A
UNICORN IS A BEAUTIFUL
MAKE-BELIEVE CREATURE THAT
DESPITE OVERWHELMING EVIDENCE OF
ITS FANTASTICAL NATURE, MANY
PEOPLE STILL BELIEVE IN THEM.
AS HE LISTS THE UNICORN TOP TEN
UNICORNS OF U.S. CHINA POLICY.
THE NUMBER TWO UNICORN RELATES
TO THE SUBJECT OF THIS AMENDMENT
AND IT'S ENTITLED "ABANDONING
TAIWAN WILL REMOVE THE BIGGEST
OBSTACLE TO SINO-AMERICAN
RELATIONS."
IN OTHER WORDS, RATHER THAN
ANTAGONIZE CHINA, COMMUNIST
CHINA BY SELLING 66 F-16'S, C
AND D MODELS, TO TAIWAN, SOME
MIGHT SUGGEST WE SHOULD WITHHOLD
AND NOT MAKE THAT SALE AS THE
OBAMA ADMINISTRATION HAS
APPARENTLY AT LEAST DECIDED TO
DO FOR NOW BECAUSE WE DON'T WANT
TO ANTAGONIZE CHINA.
BECAUSE IF WE ANTAGONIZE CHINA,
THEY'RE GOING TO BE -- OUR
RELATIONSHIPS WILL DETERIORATE.
BUT AS MR. BLUMENTHAL POINTS
OUT, RATHER THAN BASK IN THE
RECENT WARMING OF ITS
RELATIONSHIP WITH TAIWAN, CHINA
HAS PICKED FIGHTS WITH VIETNAM,
THE PHILIPPINES, JAPAN, SOUTH
KOREA, AND INDIA.
HE GOES ON TO SAY IT DOESN'T
MATTER WHAT OBSTACLES THE UNITED
STATES REMOVES, CHINA'S FOREIN
POLICY HAS ITS OWN INTERNAL
LOGIC THAT IS HARD FOR THE
UNITED STATES TO SHAKE.
ABANDONING TAIWAN FOR THE SAKE
OF BETTER RELATIONS IS YET
ANOTHER DANGEROUS FANTASY.
AS MY COLLEAGUES MAY RECALL, I
INTRODUCED THIS AMENDMENT
EARLIER ON THE TRADE ASSISTANCE
ASSISTANCE -- ON TRADE
ASSISTANCE AJUMENTS --
ADJUSTMENT PROVISIONS, THE
T.A.A. AND THE THE DISTINGUISHED
CHAIRMAN OF THE SENATE FINANCE
COMMITTEE, FROM MONTANA,
QUOTED'S CLEEZ YASTIES TO SAY IT
WASN'T THE RIGHT TIME.
HE SAID TO EVERYTHING THERE IS A
SEASON.
BUT HE INDICATED MY AMENDMENT
MIGHT DERAIL THE CAREFULLY
NEGOTIATED BIPARTISAN AGREEMENT
ON TRADE ASSISTANCE.
I DIDN'T AGREE WITH HIM AT THAT
TIME BECAUSE MY AMENDMENT WAS
RELATED TO TRADE, BECAUSE HE'S
F-16'S REPRESENT AN EXPORT FOR
THE UNITED STATES ECONOMY THAT
CREATES JOBS RIGHT HERE AT HOME
IN ADDITION TO ITS IMPORTANCE
FOR OTHER REASONS.
BUT NOW THE REASON FOR THAT
OBJECTION NO LONGER EXISTS.
THE PENDING LEGISLATION IS NOT A
CAREFULLY NEGOTIATED BIPARTISAN
AGREEMENT, AND I HOPE MY
COLLEAGUES WHO SHARED MY
CONCERNS OR SHARED THE CONCERNS
THAT THE CHAIRMAN OF THE FINANCE
COMMITTEE ARGUED EARLIER WILL
FIND IT AN OPPORTUNITY TO
SUPPORT THIS AMENDMENT ON THE
MERITS TODAY.
BECAUSE I THINK IT'S VERY
IMPORTANT.
THE CHAIRMAN OF THE FOREIGN
RELATIONS COMMITTEE ARGUED AT
THE TIME AGAINST MY AMENDMENT ON
THE T.A.A. BILL, HE SAID IT WAS
UNPRECEDENTED FOR THE CONGRESS
TO FORCE THE WHITE HOUSE'S HAND
WHEN IT COMES TO FOREIGN
MILITARY SALES.
WELL, THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS
I WOULD REMIND MY COLLEAGUES
THAT THE TAIWAN RELATIONS ACT
THAT PASSED AND WAS SIGNED INTO
LAW IN 1979 MAKES IT CLEAR THAT
CONGRESS HAS A VERY IMPORTANT
ROLE TO PLAY.
THE TAIWAN RELATIONS ACT SAYS
THE PRESIDENT AND THE CONGRESS
SHALL DETERMINE THE NATURE AND
QUANTITY OF SUCH DEFENSIVE
ARTICLES AND SERVICES BASED
SOLELY UPON THEIR JUDGMENT OF
THE NEEDS OF TAIWAN.
SO THIS IS THE LAW OF THE LAND,
AND UNFORTUNATELY, I DON'T
BELIEVE THE ADMINISTRATION'S
POLICY WHEN IT COMES TO SELLING
DEFENSIVE WEAPONRY TO TAIWAN,
THAT THEIR AGREEMENT THAT WE
SHOULD JUST UPGRADE THE EXISTING
FLEET OF F-16'S IS ADEQUATE.
TO MEET THE DEMANDS OF -- OF
THE TAIWAN RELATIONS ACT.
THIS CHART, TAKEN FROM DEFENSE
INTELLIGENCE AGENCY MATERIALS,
PUBLIC MATERIALS, SHOWS THE
INCREDIBLE SHRINKING TAIWAN AIR
FORCE.
TAIWAN'S PROJECTED FIGHTER FLEET
OVER TIME GOES FROM ROUGHLY 400
AS PART OF THE TOTAL OF 490
COMBAT AIRCRAFT, BUT THE F-5 IS
AN OBSOLETE AMERICAN AIRCRAFT,
AS YOU CAN SEE BASICALLY BECAUSE
OF REPAIRS AND -- NEEDED
REPAIRS, REPLACEMENT PARTS AND
THE OTHER IS BASICALLY NOT
DEPENDABLE ANYMORE.
THE FRENCH MIRAGE 2000 IT'S
ESTIMATED WILL BASICALLY DROP
OFF THE CHART SHORTLY AFTER 2015
OR SO AND THEN WE SEE THE F-16 A
AND B MODELS WHICH THE
ADMINISTRATION SAYS WE SHOULD
UPGRADE WILL BE ROUGHLY 150 OF
THOSE WILL BE BASICALLY THE
REMAINING TAIWAN AIR FORCE,
DOWN FROM A TOTAL OF ROUGHLY 400
FIGHTERS AND ACTUALLY THE
ADMINISTRATION'S PROPOSED
UPGRADE WILL ESSENTIALLY TAKE
SOME OF THESE F-16'S OFF LINE,
A WHOLE SQUADRON OF F-16 A'S AND
B'S OUT OF SERVICE DURING THE
RETROFIT PERIOD FURTHER
DIMINISHING THE NUMBER OF
AVAILABLE AIRCRAFT FOR TAIWAN TO
DEFEND ITSELF.
THE TAIWAN RELATIONS ACT WAS A
RESPONSE TO THE DECISION BY THE
EXECUTIVE BRANCH OF THE FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT THAT CONGRESS
HAPPENED TO DISAGREE WITH.
ONE OF THE GREAT THINGS ABOUT
OUR FORM OF GOVERNMENT IS THAT
CONGRESS CAN DISAGREE WITH THE
ADMINISTRATION AND FORCE THE
ADMINISTRATION'S HAND WHEN
CONGRESS BELIEVES IT'S
APPROPRIATE TO DO SO.
AND THE TAIWAN RELATIONS ACT WAS
ONE EXAMPLE OF THAT.
THAT DECISION WAS BASED ON
PRESIDENT CARTER'S DIPLOMATIC
RECOGNITION OF THE PEOPLE'S
REPUBLIC OF CHINA AND BREAKING
DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS WITH
TAIWAN.
CONGRESS HAD A DIFFERENT VIEW
AND WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT THE
FREEDOM OF THE TAIWANESE PEOPLE
WAS SECURE.
AND SO WE PASSED BIPARTISAN
LEGISLATION WHICH WAS ULTIMATELY
SIGNED INTO LAW BY PRESIDENT
CARTER, BUT THE GREAT THING
ABOUT THE TAIWAN RELATIONS ACT
AND THE UNITED STATES
RELATIONSHIP WITH TAIWAN IS IT'S
AND ENJOYED STRONG -- ALWAYS
ENJOYED STRONG BIPARTISAN
SUPPORT.
THIS IS NOT A PARTISAN ISSUE AT
ALL.
HERE'S WHAT FORMER SENATOR JESSE
HELMS SAID ABOUT IT 20 YEARS
AFTER THE PASSAGE.
TAIWAN RELATIONS ACT.
HE SAID IT'S A BIT OF A RARITY
THAT AN ISSUE COMES UP THAT
BRINGS JESSE HELMS AND TED
KENNEDY TOGETHER.
I NEVER SERVED WITH SENATOR
HELMS, I DID SERVE WITH SENATOR
KENNEDY AND I CAN ASSURE YOU OF
WHAT I KNOW OF SENATOR HELMS AND
HIS RECORD, THAT WAS AN
UNDERSTATEMENT.
HE BUT HE SAID THAT WAS SUCH AN
ISSUE, THE TAIWAN RELATIONS
ACT.
SENATOR KENNEDY, SENATOR
GOLDWATER AND I ALONG WHAT
CONGRESSMAN WOLF, DERWINSKI AND
OTHERS SET OUT TO ENSURE AFTER
HAVING THEIR TREATY OF ALLIANCE
TOSSED IN THE TRASH CAN OUR
FRIENDS IN TAIWAN WOULD BE LEFT
WITH FAR MORE THAN THE VAGUE
VERBAL PROMISES THE CARTER
ADMINISTRATION WAS OFFERING FOR
TAIWAN.
SO WE WENT TO WORK AND THE
RESULT WAS THE TAIWAN RELATIONS
ACT.
I BELIEVE, MADAM PRESIDENT, MY
AMENDMENT IS A NATURAL EXTENSION
OR ACTUALLY A FULFILLMENT OF THE
TAIWAN RELATIONS ACT AND A
REAFFIRMATION OF THE BIPARTISAN
LEADERSHIP THAT THE SENATE HAS
BROUGHT WHICH WOULD --
ORIGINALLY BROUGHT SENATOR
KENNEDY AND SENATOR HELMS
TOGETHER WAY BACK IN 1979 AND WE
SHOULD NOT DEPART FROM THAT
STRONG BIPARTISAN TRADITION OF
SUPPORTING OUR ALLY IN TAIWAN
AND PROVIDING THE DEFENSIVE
WEAPONRY THEY NEED IN ORDER TO
DEFEND THEMSELVES SO THE UNITED
STATES WILL NOT HAVE TO FILL
THAT GAP.
DURING THE DEBATES ON THE TRADE
ASSISTANCE AUTHORITY BILL THAT
SENATOR KERRY, THE DISTINGUISHED
CHAIRMAN OF THE SENATE FOREIGN
RELATIONS COMMITTEE, ARGUED THAT
PRESIDENT MAH OF TAIWAN IS HAPPY
WITH THE ADMINISTRATION'S
DECISION MERELY TO UPGRADE THE
EXISTING F-16 A AND B MODELS AND
NOT TO REPLACE THE F-5'S AND
MIRAGES AND OTHER AIRCRAFT THAT
ARE FAST BECOMING OBSOLETE.
THE SENATOR FROM MASSACHUSETTS
WENT SO FAR AS TO SAY AT THE
TIME THAT THE PRESIDENT OF
TAIWAN HAS SAID THE APPROVED
PACKAGE IS ENTIRELY ADEQUATE.
HE FEELS THEY WILL HAVE THE
DEFENSIVE CAPACITY NECESSARY
UNDER THE TAIWAN RELATIONS ACT
IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO DEFEND
THEMSELVES AT THE CURRENT LEVEL
OF THE UPGRADE WE ARE PROVIDING.
THE FACTS ARE, MR. PRESIDENT,
THE GOVERNMENT OF TAIWAN NEEDS
BOTH THE EXISTING F-16 A AND B
MODELS, PLUS -- AND UPGRADED
THROUGH THIS UPGRADE BUT ALSO
THE 66 ADDITIONAL F-16 AIRCRAFT
THAT ARE THE SUBJECT OF MY
AMENDMENT.
TO QUOTE TAIWAN'S FOREIGN
MINISTER, HE SAID OUR GOVERNMENT
WILL CONTINUE TO WORK CLOSELY
WITH THE UNITED STATES TO
STRENGTHEN OUR NATIONAL DEFENSE
AND SECURITY.
BY URGING THE UNITED STATES TO
CONTINUE ITS ARMS SALES TO
TAIWAN WITH NEEDED ARTICLES AND
SYSTEMS FOR OUR DEFENSIVE
CAPABILITIES, INCLUDING F-16 C
AND D AIRCRAFT AND DIESEL
ELECTRIC SUBMARINES.
WELL, JUST TO REMIND MY
COLLEAGUES AGAIN, THIS IS A
FAMILIAR CHART FROM THE LAST
TIME I OFFERED THIS AMENDMENT
WHICH SHOWS THE GROWING
IMBALANCE OF THE TAIWAN STRAIGHT
WITH CHINA SOME 2300 OPERATIONAL
COMBAT AIRCRAFT AND TAIWAN 490
OPERATIONAL COMBAT AIRCRAFT,
INCLUDING 400 FIGHTERS AS PART
OF THOSE COMBAT AIRCRAFT.
BUT THE FACT OF THE MATTER WE
KNOW IS THAT CHINA DOESN'T TELL
THE TRUTH WHEN IT COMES TO ITS
DEFENSIVE AND NATIONAL SECURITY
EXPENDITURES.
IT DISCLOSES ONLY A FRACTION OF
WHAT IT SPENDS AS IT PROJECTS
POWER ACROSS THE WORLD TO FOLLOW
ITS ECONOMIC NEEDS AND
INTERESTS.
LET ME QUOTE THE TAIWAN'S
DEFENSE MINISTER.
I EARLIER QUOTED THEIR --
ANOTHER TAIWANESE OFFICIAL, BUT
THE TAIWAN DEFENSE MINISTER SAID
THE F-16 A AND B FLEET UPGRADE
PACKAGE AND THE F-16 C AND D
FIGHTER PURCHASE HAVE DIFFERENT
NEEDS AND PURPOSES.
IT'S NOT CONTRADICTORY TO HAVE
BOTH CASES DONE.
LAST FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, A
MEMBER OF THE SENATE -- EXCUSE
ME -- THE HOUSE ARMED SERVICES
COMMITTEE, WHO HAPPENS TO BE OF
THE OTHER PARTY, MET WITH
PRESIDENT MA IN TAIWAN.
ACCORDING TO THE OFFICIAL PRESS
RELEASE BY THE GOVERNMENT OF
TAIWAN, PRESIDENT MA COMMENTED
THAT THE UPGRADES OF THE F-16 A
AND B SERIES AIRCRAFT ARE AIMED
AT EXTENDING THE LIFE OF FIGHTER
JETS -- OF THE FIGHTER JETS AND
AVOIDING A LACK OF SPARE PARTS
DUE TO THE AGE OF THE F-16 A AND
B SERIES.
MEANWHILE, TAIWAN WISHES TO
PURCHASE F-16 C AND D FIGHTER
JETS TO REPLACE ITS AGING FLEET
OF F-5-E FIGHTER JETS.
THAT'S THE -- IN RED HERE, THE
AGING F-5-E FIGHTER JETS.
THEREFORE, PRESIDENT MA
EXPLAINED, THE OBJECTIVES OF THE
TWO ARE ENTIRELY DIFFERENT.
WELL, MR. PRESIDENT, LET ME JUST
LEAVE WITH ONE FINAL COMMENT.
SEVERAL OF MY COLLEAGUES HAVE
ARGUED THAT THE OBAMA
ADMINISTRATION COULD LATER
APPROVE THE SALE OF THESE F-16'S
C AND D SERIES AT A LATER DATE,
BUT THAT'S ACTUALLY NOT THE
CASE.
THE F-16 PRODUCTION LINE WAS
RECENTLY RECEIVED A SMALL ORDER
FROM THE AIR FORCE OF IRAQ TO
SELL IRAQ F-16'S, BUT WITHOUT
ADDITIONAL ORDERS, THE
PRODUCTION LINE WILL SOON BE
SHUTTING DOWN.
THE PEOPLE WHO ARE WORKING THERE
WILL BE LAID OFF OR REASSIGNED
OTHER JOBS.
SO WE'RE RAPIDLY APPROACHING A
POINT AT WHICH THE PRESIDENT OF
THE UNITED STATES WILL NOT BE
ABLE TO APPROVE THE SALE OF NEW
F-16'S BECAUSE THEY WILL NOT BE
ABLE TO BE MANUFACTURED BECAUSE
THE PRODUCTION LINE WILL BE SHUT
DOWN, AND I HOPE MY COLLEAGUES
WILL KEEP THIS IN MIND AS THEY
CONSIDER MY AMENDMENT.
BUT EVEN IF THE PRODUCTION LINE
WAS NOT AN ISSUE, WHY SHOULD WE
MAKE OUR ALLIES IN TAIWAN WAIT?
WHY WOULD THE UNITED STATES TELL
OUR FRIENDS TO COME BACK LATER?
AS I SAID, THE CHAIRMAN OF THE
FINANCE COMMITTEE QUOTED
ECCLESIASTES DURING OUR LAST
DEBATE, BUT LET ME CONCLUDE WITH
WISE WORDS FROM PROVERBS.
"DO NOT WITHHOLD GOOD FROM THOSE
TO WHOM IT IS D WHEN IT IS
WITHIN YOUR POWER TO ACT.
DO NOT SAY TO YOUR NEIGHBOR COME
BACK TOMORROW AND I'LL GIVE IT
TO YOU WHEN YOU ALREADY HAVE IT
WITH YOU."
TO THAT, I HOPE MY COLLEAGUES
WOULD GIVE A HEARTY AMEN,
MR. PRESIDENT, AND I YIELD THE
FLOOR.
AND SUGGEST THE ABSENCE OF A