To provide Taiwan with critically needed United States-built multirole fighter aircraft to strengthen its self-defense capability against the increasing military threat from China.

SA 634. Mr. CORNYN (for himself and Mr. Coburn) submitted an
amendment intended to be proposed by him to the bill H.R. 2832, to
extend the Generalized System of Preferences, and for other purposes;
which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

At the appropriate place, insert the following:

SEC. __. SALE OF F-16 AIRCRAFT TO TAIWAN.

(a) Findings.--Congress makes the following findings:
(1) The Department of Defense, in its 2011 report to
Congress on ``Military and Security Developments Involving
the People's Republic of China,'' found that ``China
continued modernizing its military in 2010, with a focus on
Taiwan contingencies, even as cross-Strait relations
improved. The PLA seeks the capability to deter Taiwan
independence and influence Taiwan to settle the dispute on
Beijing's terms. In pursuit of this objective, Beijing is
developing capabilities intended to deter, delay, or deny
possible U.S. support for the island in the event of
conflict. The balance of cross-Strait military forces and
capabilities continues to shift in the mainland's favor.'' In
this report, the Department of Defense also concludes that,
over the next decade, China's air force will remain primarily
focused on ``building the capabilities required to pose a
credible military threat to Taiwan and U.S. forces in East
Asia, deter Taiwan independence, or influence Taiwan to
settle the dispute on Beijing's terms''.
(2) The Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) conducted a
preliminary assessment of the status and capabilities of
Taiwan's air force in an unclassified report, dated January
21, 2010. The DIA found that, ``[a]lthough Taiwan has nearly
400 combat aircraft in service, far fewer of these are
operationally capable.'' The report concluded, ``Many of
Taiwan's fighter aircraft are close to or beyond service
life, and many require extensive maintenance support. The
retirement of Mirage and F-5 aircraft will reduce the total
size of the Taiwan Air Force.''
(3) Since 2006, authorities from Taiwan have made repeated
requests to purchase 66 F-16C/D multirole fighter aircraft
from the United States, in an effort to modernize the air
force of Taiwan and maintain its self-defense capability.
(4) According to a report by the Perryman Group, a private
economic research and analysis firm, the requested sale of F-
16C/Ds to Taiwan ``would generate some $8,700,000,000 in
output (gross product) and more than 87,664 person-years of
employment in the US,'' including 23,407 direct jobs, while
``economic benefits would likely be realized in 44 states and
the District of Columbia''.
(5) The sale of F-16C/Ds to Taiwan would both sustain
existing high-skilled jobs in key United States manufacturing
sectors and create new ones.
(6) On August 1, 2011, a bipartisan group of 181 members of
the House of Representatives sent a letter to the President,
expressing support for the sale of F-16C/Ds to Taiwan. On May
26, 2011, a bipartisan group of 45 members of the Senate sent
a similar letter to the President, expressing support for the
sale. Two other members of the Senate wrote separately to the
President or the Secretary of State in 2011 and expressed
support for this sale.
(b) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that--
(1) a critical element to maintaining peace and stability
in Asia in the face of China's two-decade-long program of
military modernization and expansion of military capabilities
is ensuring a militarily strong and confident Taiwan;
(2) a Taiwan that is confident in its ability to deter
Chinese aggression will increase its ability to proceed in
developing peaceful relations with China in areas of mutual
interest;
(3) the cross-Strait military balance between China and our
longstanding strategic partner, Taiwan, has clearly shifted
in China's favor;
(4) China's military expansion poses a clear and present
danger to Taiwan, and this threat has very serious
implications for the ability of the United States to fulfill
its security obligations to allies in the region and protect
our vital United States national interests in East Asia;
(5) Taiwan's air force continues to deteriorate, and it
needs additional advanced multirole fighter aircraft in order
to modernize its fleet and maintain a sufficient self-defense
capability;
(6) the United States has a statutory obligation under the
Taiwan Relations Act (22 U.S.C. 3301 et seq.) to provide
Taiwan the defense articles necessary to enable Taiwan to
maintain sufficient self-defense capabilities, in furtherance
of maintaining peace and stability in the western Pacific
region;
(7) in order to comply with the Taiwan Relations Act, the
United States must provide Taiwan with additional advanced
multirole fighter aircraft, as well as significant upgrades
to Taiwan's existing fleet of multirole fighter aircraft; and
(8) the proposed sale of F-16C/D multirole fighter aircraft
to Taiwan would have significant economic benefits to the
United States economy.
(c) Sale of Aircraft.--The President shall carry out the
sale of no fewer than 66 F-16C/D multirole fighter aircraft
to Taiwan.
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