A bill to provide for the transfer of naval vessels to certain foreign recipients, and for other purposes.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (S. 1683) to provide for the transfer of naval vessels to certain foreign recipients, and for other purposes.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and to include extraneous materials on the bill under consideration.

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

Mr. Speaker, first of all, I will include in the Record a letter signed by myself and Mr. Engel to the Secretary of State.

House of Representatives,

Committee on Foreign Affairs,

Washington, DC, December 10, 2014.

Hon. John F. Kerry,

Secretary of State, Department of State, Washington, DC.

Dear Mr. Secretary: Today the House of Representatives will

pass and send to the President S. 1683, a bill that bolsters

allies Taiwan and Mexico with the transfer of U.S. Navy

frigates and makes other changes to the law to enhance our

security assistance to foreign partners.

As you may know, section 201 of this legislation would

amend section 36 of the Arms Export Control Act to require

the President to notify Congress 30 days before shipments of

certain defense articles if jointly requested to do so by the

Chairman and Ranking Member of the House Committee on Foreign

Affairs or the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations. It is

our understanding that the Department may be concerned that

this new congressional notification requirement could pose an

undue burden on the administration of United States arms

transfers.

However, given the comprehensive exchange of information

between the Department and the Committee during the

congressional review process on U.S. arms sales, we would

expect to invoke section 201 only in rare circumstances. For

example, a similar authority in section 36(b)(1), providing

for a request by the same committees of additional and highly

detailed information from the President on a pending Foreign

Military Sale, has been used only once in the last seven

years.

Likewise, we expect that the current protocols governing

the notification of arms sales, a process by which sensitive

national security and foreign policy questions are addressed

informally before a notification is formally submitted for

congressional review, will remain the preeminent means by

which the Committee conducts oversight over United States

arms transfer policy.

We look forward to continuing to work with you on these

important matters in the 114th Congress.

Sincerely,

Edward R. Royce,

Chairman.

Eliot L. Engel,

Ranking Member.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this legislation, S. 1683. It would allow the United States to transfer certain decommissioned naval vessels to Taiwan and Mexico. It also makes some technical amendments to U.S. export control laws.

Let me say that I appreciate the broad bipartisan support that the contents of this measure already received because this April, the House passed the underlying bill, H.R. 3470, of which I am the author, the companion legislation to this bill. Mr. Eliot Engel and I were the cosponsors.

I am pleased that this important legislation supporting the defense of our Taiwanese allies has now been passed by the other body. With passage by the House, it will make its way to the President's desk.

On April 10, 1979, the Taiwan Relations Act was established to govern America's relationship with the Republic of China-Taiwan. For 35 years, the act has helped maintain peace and security across the Taiwan Strait and across the Asia-Pacific region.

During this time, Taiwan has undergone a monumental transformation. It has gone from grinding poverty and political repression to the vibrant multiparty democracy that it is today. Taiwan's economy has evolved. It is now our 10th top trading partner.

As chairman, I led two bipartisan delegations to Taipei, Kaohsiung, and Tainan to examine Taiwan's economy and defense capabilities. Today's legislation is the product of the committee's bipartisan effort to prioritize the U.S.-Taiwan relationship.

This legislation authorizes the President to send four Perry class guided missile frigates to Taiwan. These are ships that are greatly needed to augment Taiwan's defense capability. I

have seen firsthand the World War II-era submarines--I was on one of them--and the 50-year-old fighter jets that form the core of Taiwan's military.

Congress has made it clear to the administration that it wants more defense sales and more transfers like this to Taiwan, including transfers to support the modernization of its combat aircraft and its submarine fleet. These four guided missile cruisers would bolster Taiwan's defense to ensure that peace in the Taiwan Strait continues to benefit not just Taiwan, but the entire region.

In addition to supporting Taiwan, this legislation also authorizes the transfer of excess decommissioned naval vessels to Mexico. Mr. Vargas and I recently returned from Mexico City, and transfers such as these help to support the priorities of the U.S. Navy while strengthening the capability of allies and our close partners to meet our shared maritime security objectives.

Finally, the bill includes a provision requested by the Department of Commerce to ensure that our export control regime will continue to protect sensitive information related to export licensing. In particular, it clarifies that the business confidentiality protections of the lapsed Export Administration Act remain in effect under another provision of the law and will continue to protect information related to export licensing.

This provision will both protect U.S. national security and the competitiveness of American exporters while providing time for Congress and the executive branch to modernize the statutory basis for our export control regime.

While I am disappointed that this measure does not include a provision from the House bill that would have expedited U.S. arms sales to close allies, the committee will continue to promote improvements to the foreign military sales process in the next Congress.

Finally, the bill will also clarify that certain business confidentiality protections of the Export Administration Act will continue to protect the information related to export licensing.

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

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

Mr. Speaker, earlier this year, the Foreign Affairs Committee held a hearing examining the promises that were made under the Taiwan Relations Act. That was signed 35 years ago, and there are few pieces of legislation related to foreign policy that have been as consequential as Congress stepping in with this act 35 years ago.

It is the steadfast support of the United States Congress that has helped Taiwan become what it is today: a thriving, modern society that strongly respects human rights, the rule of law, and free markets. Passage of this act is a step towards keeping the promises that we made to Taiwan 35 years ago in that Taiwan Relations Act, and I urge my colleagues to support this important legislation.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I would say likewise to Mr. Vargas for his service on the committee.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of S. 1683, the Naval Vessel Transfer Act. This bill includes many of the provisions in H.R. 3470, which the House passed on April 7 and sent to the other body.

I would like to thank Chairman Royce for the bipartisan manner in which the original House bill was drafted, considered by the committee, and passed by the House. With today's action on S. 1683, we finish our work on this important legislation.

In the Taiwan Relations Act, the United States made a commitment to support Taiwan's defensive capability. To that end, this bill authorizes the President to transfer up to four surplus U.S. naval vessels to Taiwan. In light of China's increasingly aggressive actions in the Pacific region, it is more important than ever to bolster Taiwan's security.

This bill also authorizes a transfer of two surplus naval vessels to Mexico, a critical defense partner of the United States. These vessels will strengthen Mexico's ability to function effectively with the U.S. Navy in joint operations.

Finally, the bill strengthens congressional review of the licensing and shipment of U.S. defense exports. These provisions are necessary in light of the significant regulatory changes now being implemented by the Departments of State, Commerce, and Defense.

The President's Export Control Reform initiative will modernize our system of regulating trade and defense and dual-use items, and appropriate congressional review must continue to be an integral part of the system.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in voting for S. 1683 so we can send this legislation to the President for signature into law.

I reserve the balance of my time.

In closing, Mr. Speaker, as was said, this bill authorizes a transfer of naval vessels to Taiwan and Mexico, two good friends and partners of the United States. It also makes changes to regulating armed transfers and strengthens congressional oversight of the system.

I would once again like to thank Chairman Royce for working with us in a bipartisan manner on this important legislation. I would also like to say that as a freshman Member who may not be serving again on the committee that it was a real honor to serve under the chairman. He in fact acts very bipartisan.

He is a real leader in this country, and I am very proud that he is a Californian. It has been an honor, sir, to serve with you.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of Calendar No. 247, S. 1683.

Mr. President, I further ask unanimous consent that the Menendez amendment, which is at the desk, be agreed to; and the bill, as amended, be read a third time and passed with no intervening action or debate.