FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE JULY 8, 1999

CONTACT: BRAD SMITH PHONE: 202 225-2305

Dreier Statement on White House Decision to
Approve Higher Computer Export Control Thresholds

Congressman David Dreier (R-CA), Chairman of the House Rules Committee, today issued the following statement in regards to the White House announcement that computer export control thresholds will be raised:

“I am encouraged that after months of inaction, the Administration has joined many of us in Congress in recognizing that America's world-class computer industry faces a looming problem as outdated export control limits threaten American jobs without offering any real national security benefit.

“While the Administration's decision will help alleviate a short-term crisis, and I am committed to seeing that the new proposals go into effect, I am disappointed that the bureaucratic red-tape of governmental notification will continue to hamper a large number of mass market business-style computers. Our national security demands that the world's most powerful computers, which are made only in America, do not end up in the hands of dangerous people. But, there is no national security gain from imposing layers of red-tape on the sale of computers that can simply be purchased from companies based overseas.

“Our nation's cutting edge computer industry is constantly recreating itself with technological advances that are the envy of the world. I will be working with Congressional leaders and the Administration in a bipartisan effort to ensure that our export control laws keep pace with technological change.”

-- 30 --