6 August 1999
Source: http://www.access.gpo.gov/su_docs/aces/aaces002.html

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[Congressional Record: August 4, 1999 (Senate)]
[Page S10221-S10241]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:cr04au99pt2-48]


          STATEMENTS ON INTRODUCED BILLS AND JOINT RESOLUTIONS

                                 ______

      By Mr. REID (for himself and Mr. Kerry):
  S. 1483. A bill to amend the National Defense Authorization Act for
fiscal Year 1998 with respect to export controls on high performance
computers; to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.

    ADJUSTMENT OF COMPOSITE THEORETICAL PERFORMANCE LEVELS OF HIGH
                         PERFORMANCE COMPUTERS

  Mr. REID. Mr. President, on July 1, 1999, President Clinton announced
that the Commerce Department would implement changes to the United
States export controls on high performance computers. By changing the
limits on high performance computers, we will be increasing our
national security and easing outdated regulations that are currently
imposed on the thriving high tech industry and on government itself.
  Mr. President, as you may know, I have followed this issue closely
for the last eight months since the inception of the high-tech working
group that I chair. I have met with many company leaders, both large
and small, to discuss the issue of export controls on computers. I am
convinced that if we don't immediately act to ease export controls,
many American jobs may be at risk. Each day that our nations's
companies can't compete in foreign markets, we are losing market share
and eventually will be giving up our world dominance in the high-tech
sector.
  The bill that I am offering today reduces the review period from 180
days to 30 days to complement the Administration's easing of export
restrictions by amending the National Defense Authorization Act of
1998.
  Mr. President. In closing, I would like to share with you an example
of how outdated today's restrictions are. I was recently at a meeting
where Michael Dell, President of Dell Computers, stood up and pulled
his pager from his hip holster. He held it up and said that under
current export controls, his little pager that is smaller than a
computer mouse, cannot be exported to many countries because it is
considered a ``super computer.''
  Mr. President. These controls need to be changed as the
Administration has made clear, but it needs to be done sooner rather
than later. In short, these controls need to be eased yesterday.
  Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be
printed in the Record.
  There being no objection, the bill was ordered to be printed in the
Record, as follows:

                                S. 1483

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. ADJUSTMENT OF COMPOSITE THEORETICAL PERFORMANCE
                   LEVELS OF HIGH PERFORMANCE COMPUTERS.

       Section 1211(d) of the National Defense Authorization Act
     for Fiscal Year 1998 (50 U.S.C. App. 2404 note) is amended in
     the second sentence by striking ``180'' and inserting ``30''.
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