Defense Authorization

Floor Speech

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Mr. CORNYN. Mr. President, I want to talk about something that is all too rare, and that is bipartisan support for an important piece of legislation that not only fulfills America's commitments to our ally, Taiwan, under the Taiwan Relations Act of 1979, but it helps stabilize a critical region of the world--that would be in Asia--and particularly the growing tensions between Taiwan and China. It also creates jobs in America by facilitating foreign military sales of things made here in America, by Americans, that we are going to sell to people in other countries--our friends in other countries--for cash and doesn't cost taxpayers a penny.

My amendment No. 1200 is pending before the Senate, and I was pleased in introducing this amendment to be joined by several of my colleagues on a bipartisan basis: Senator Menendez from New Jersey, Senator Inhofe from Oklahoma, Senator Lieberman from Connecticut, Senator Wyden from Oregon, and Senator Blumenthal from Connecticut.

This amendment is straightforward and simple. It would require the President to carry out the sale of 66 F-16C/D aircraft to Taiwan. These are American-made fighters our Democratic ally in Taiwan has been trying to purchase since 2007. As I said earlier, this is a win-win amendment. It reflects the right national security policy, and it is good for the American economy and jobs. We know Taiwan's Air Force continues to deteriorate.

First, let me just remind my colleagues what Taiwan is looking at in terms of the disparity in combat aircraft between Communist China and Democratic Taiwan.

Communist China has roughly 2,300 operational combat aircraft. Our ally and friend democratic Taiwan has 490 operational combat aircraft--obviously a growing imbalance in the Taiwan Strait. But that only tells part of the story because, as my colleagues also know, this chart indicates the incredible shrinkage of Taiwan's air force, that many of Taiwan's combat aircraft are F-5 aircraft which America has previously sold to Taiwan but which are now becoming older and more obsolete as time goes by, as well as French Mirage 2000 aircraft. As this chart indicates, around roughly 2020, maybe even before, these aircraft are going to become completely obsolete, and we will see the huge cliff and, in fact, exacerbate the disparity between Communist China and our democratic ally Taiwan.

This F-16 sale would be an export-driven job machine for our country at a time when unemployment is at 9 percent and when the No. 1 issue on America's agenda is job creation. People without jobs can't pay their mortgages, and they lose their homes due to foreclosure. Why in the world, when this sale would support jobs in 32 different States and the District of Columbia, would anyone object to this amendment? Indeed, as I indicated, I believe there is strong bipartisan support for it. This sale would support more than 60 job-years of employment and generate some $8.7 billion in economic output. It would also generate $768 million in taxes for the Federal Government.

As I indicated, Taiwan's air force is facing a looming fighter shortfall. The fact is, this falls squarely in Congress's wheelhouse. The Taiwan Relations Act that I referred to earlier was, in 1979, signed by President Jimmy Carter with bipartisan support. It requires the U.S. Government to provide Taiwan, our friend and ally, with the defense articles necessary for them to defend themselves against Communist Chinese aggression, and it instructs the President and the Congress to determine the nature and quantity of such defense articles based on their judgment of the needs of Taiwan.

Forty-seven Democrats and Republicans in the Senate--almost half--have signed a letter to the President of the United States supporting this sale. In the House of Representatives, 181 Democrats and Republicans have signed a letter to the President supporting this sale.

As my colleagues will recall, in September the Senate voted on an amendment like this in the trade adjustment authority assistance bill, which ended up in a 48-to-48 tie. Although the bill had strong bipartisan support, some of my colleagues said they preferred not to offer that amendment on that particular legislative vehicle but said that if I came back on an appropriate legislative vehicle, they would support it. And if there is a more appropriate legislative vehicle than the Defense authorization bill, I hope someone will point that out to me. This is the appropriate vehicle. This is the appropriate time. This is the right thing to do for job creation in America. It is the right thing to do in terms of our national security and stability in Asia. That is why I believe this is an appropriate time for us to take up this amendment.

I was advised by the Parliamentarian that my original amendment as drafted would not be germane postcloture. However, in consultation with the Parliamentarian, we have come up with a technical modification which essentially would strike what are called the findings that would support the need for the legislation. In essence, it strikes the A section and the B section and leaves only the C section remaining. This, of course, at this point in the proceedings would require unanimous consent.

In consultation with Senator McCain, the ranking member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, I am advised that our friends across the aisle will not grant unanimous consent for us to modify what is really a technical modification for this amendment so we can get a vote on it. I realize that at this point we are in morning business and it is not appropriate, perhaps, for me to ask unanimous consent, but I will ask unanimous consent at a later and appropriate time because I would like to get an explanation from the distinguished chairman of the Armed Services Committee as to why in the world there would be an objection to an amendment that enjoys such broad bipartisan support on a clearly appropriate legislative vehicle.

Madam President, I see the distinguished chairman on the floor. So I would at this time, if it is appropriate, ask unanimous consent to modify my pending amendment, to strike the findings under section A and under section B, and to leave section C, which states in full:

Sale of aircraft. The President shall carry out the sale of no fewer than 66 F-16 C and D multirole fighter aircraft to Taiwan.

We have been advised by the Parliamentarian that this section is indeed germane and would be eligible for a vote with that modification. So I ask unanimous consent to so modify my amendment.

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Mr. CORNYN. Madam President, I am disappointed, but more than disappointed, I look forward to that explanation. I hope there will be an opportunity to have a colloquy and a discussion here on the floor so the American people can see why a piece of legislation that enjoys such broad bipartisan support can't even get a vote.

When people watch what is happening in Washington these days, I think they are tempted to avert their gaze because they ask the question of me--and I am sure, when the Presiding Officer is back in North Carolina, of her as well--why can't people get anything done? Well, it is because, unfortunately, of things like this. These are technical objections that are not based on the substance or the merit of the legislation.

I respect the chairman of the Armed Services Committee, who says there is an objection on the Democratic side, and he personally is not making that objection but is on behalf of some unnamed other party. I hope that person will be named. I hope they will come to the floor. I hope they will explain to the American people and to our Democratic allies in Taiwan why it is they object to a vote on this amendment.

I believe that if we are able to get a vote on the Defense authorization bill, this has a high likelihood of passage, and I think it would send a strong message to our friends and allies around the world that, yes, you can count on your friend and ally, the United States of America. Conversely, if we are thwarted in our attempt to try to get this amendment voted on and passed, then this will send a countervailing message--that you cannot depend on America--and it will embolden bullies around the world.

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