Prohibition on Sale by Department of Defense of Parts for F-14 Fighter Aircraft

Floor Speech

PROHIBITION ON SALE BY DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE OF PARTS FOR F-14 FIGHTER AIRCRAFT -- (House of Representatives - June 11, 2007)

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Mr. BOOZMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

I would like to thank Representative Giffords for her leadership on this issue, as well as Chairman Lantos for sponsoring the committee amendment clarifying the intent and impact of this legislation.

Earlier this year as a result of the Federal sting operation, Congress learned that Iran had illegally purchased parts for F-14 fighter planes from a U.S. military surplus store. According to investigators, the incident was just one piece of a larger ring of illegally sold military surplus parts that found their way to China and Iran.

The report prompted the Pentagon's Defense Logistics Agency to suspend sales of the F-14 components.

Military surplus offices are supposed to demilitarize parts, which would render them useless for military purposes.

They are also allowed to auction the parts but only to buyers who promise to obey U.S. arms embargoes, export controls, and other laws. That was not the case, however, with these particular F-14 parts.

As Members are aware, Tehran is in search of several key components for its aging fleet of F-14 Tomcat jets, which the United States sold to Iran prior to its 1979 Islamic revolution. This bill will add another layer of protection to the extensive array of export sanctions already imposed on Iran under the International Economic Emergency Powers Act and related executive orders.

The committee amendment recognizes these facts and adjusts the title of the bill to more accurately reflect the purpose of the bill.

Mr. Speaker, given the clear and present danger Iran poses to the national security interests of the United States and to the broader peace and stability of the Middle East, this is an appropriate and timely measure for our consideration today.

I want to thank again Ms. Giffords and Mr. Pearce, and I support the adoption of the resolution.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

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