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Copyright 2000 The San Diego Union-Tribune
The San Diego Union-Tribune
April 14, 2000, Friday
SECTION: BUSINESS;Pg. C-2
LENGTH: 358 words
HEADLINE: House moves to expedite computer exports; National security reason for current
long delays
BYLINE: Otto Kreisher; COPLEY NEWS SERVICE
BODY:
WASHINGTON -- With a warning that children's digital toys are being restricted
from export by a law intended to keep super computers away from potential
enemies, a key House committee yesterday unanimously approved a bill to
expedite export of American-made computers.
The measure would cut from six months to 30 days the time Congress can review
administration proposals to adjust the definition of
"super computers," which cannot be exported to countries considered national security threats.
The computer industry complains that the current 180-day delay is unworkable
when technical innovations double or triple the speed of computers every three
months.
Rep. Zoe Lofgren, D-Palo Alto, who co-authored the bill with Rep. David Dreier,
R-San Dimas, told the House International Relations Committee that the
congressionally imposed waiting period does not allow the
export controls to keep up with the rapid advances in
computers.
As a result, she said, a recently introduced
"children's play station is falling within the limits of the
export control act."
Other members of the committee noted that the latest desktop
computers sold by IBM and Apple have computing speeds above the
export limit.
The Republican-controlled Congress imposed the 180-day review period for
increasing the restricted
"super computer" threshold in 1997 after news stories indicated that American high-speed
computers were sold to firms with apparent military connections in China and
Russia.
The restrictions were supposed to
hit only the
"Tier III" nations, which include China, India, Israel, Pakistan, Russia and Vietnam.
But the limits have fallen so far behind that U.S. computer makers are having
trouble selling to even the closest U.S. allies.
Rep. Ben Gilman, R-N.Y., the committee's hawkish chairman, urged adoption of
the bill and even the strongest anti-China members voted for it.
The Computer Coalition for Responsible Exports applauded the committee's action
and urged the House Armed Services Committee to follow suit quickly and send
the bill to the floor.
The administration supports the bill but the Senate has not acted yet.
LOAD-DATE: April 17, 2000