TOPICS
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Some GOP senators balk at Defense 'Buy American' compromise
Some Senate Armed Services Committee Republicans Tuesday indicated they would not sign a fiscal 2004 defense authorization bill if it contains controversial "Buy American" language negotiated between House Armed Services Committee Chairman Duncan Hunter, R-Calif., and Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz, aides said. Those Republicans met today behind closed doors to discuss that issue and others still remaining unresolved in the defense authorization conference.
"There is a lot of concern about what this would do in terms of starting a trade war," said one Senate aide present at the meeting, adding that several European countries have publicly opposed the House version of the legislation because they say it would greatly diminish trans-Atlantic trade cooperation and interoperability on the battlefield.
The British are particularly incensed by Hunter's original legislation, and are underwhelmed with the Defense Department's draft compromise, which waters down a number of the more hotly contested provisions included in the House version of the bill.
In a Monday letter to Sen. John McCain of Arizona, the second-ranking Republican on the committee, British Ambassador David Manning wrote that the United Kingdom sees the compromise language as having removed "the worst excesses of the original House bill." But he added that, even as amended, the compromise "will discourage defense trade and cooperation between our countries."
Manning also emphasized that the Hunter-Pentagon legislation would increase the cost of defense equipment and harm the ability of British and U.S. forces to work together in future coalitions. "This is noteworthy given that the British are fighting, and shedding blood, side-by-side with U.S. servicemen and women in Iraq," the aide said.
Manning may also write to Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld or President Bush regarding the draft compromise, according to the letter.
Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman John Warner, R-Va., is awaiting the Bush administration's response to his request for clarification on the executive branch position. Last week, Warner sent a letter to Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage, Trade Representative Robert Zoellick and Office of Management and Budget Director Joshua Bolten calling on the agencies to state in writing that they support the compromise legislation.
Warner was surprised by the Defense Department's willingness to negotiate with Hunter after Rumsfeld's July recommendation to the president that he veto the bill if it contains Hunter's "Buy American" language.
COMMENTS
- I agree that the Buy American Act and Trade Agreements should apply to defense spending. There is plenty of international commercial trade going on without compromising the quality of the materials used by the Defense Department. Deletion of the Buy American Act opens up a can of worms as to quality assurance. For example, steel imports from Taiwan and China may meet content requirements of iron, but does not meet the quality requirements for corrosion and tensile strength. The costs for lack of quality could be cost prohibitive. However, doing away with the Buy American Act could line a lot of greedy pockets, just as it has with the corrosive steel that is imported. Considering that good carbon composite steel is exported; and cheap steel products are imported at the same price, greedy pockets are lined both on the export and the import side. Doing away with the Buy American Act and Trade Agreements is bad business. Guess we need to line some more greedy pockets. Naomi Melendez Posted October 1, 2003 8:13 AM
- Don't get me wrong. I support the notion of Buy American and I will continue to do this in my life as a private citizen. However, it is practices such as this, Buy American, when coupled with "operate the government like a business" that will continue to drive the cost of government up and into even more contractors. Defense Secretary Rumsfeld cannot have it both ways. Carol L. Brick Posted October 1, 2003 9:42 AM
