Thursday, 5/18/00

CCRE Supportive of House Passage of NDAA Amendment

Washington, D.C.

-- The Computer Coalition for Responsible Exports (CCRE) today commended the U.S. House of Representatives for taking an important step toward letting U.S. computer companies compete in international markets. By a 415-8 vote, the House approved an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act that would shorten the waiting period from 180 days to 60 days before new rules governing computer export controls can take effect.

The amendment was offered by House Rules Committee Chairman David Dreier (R-CA), Armed Services Committee Ranking Member Ike Skelton (D-MO), International Relations Committee Chairman Ben Gilman (R-NY), and Ellen Tauscher (D-CA). The amendment was also supported by Armed Services Chairman Floyd Spence (R-SC).

"We appreciate the recognition by the House that the six month waiting period was not consistent with technological and competitive reality," said Dan Hoydysh, CCRE Co-Chairman and Director of Trade Policy for Unisys. "While we would have preferred a 30 day waiting period, today`s action is a solid compromise and sets up our best chance for relief on this issue, which we desperately need this year."

"Reducing the congressional waiting period will help preserve our national security choices and still provide greater flexibility," said Rhett Dawson, CCRE Co-Chairman and President of the Information Technology Industry Council. "In fact, this vote will actually help strengthen national security by ensuring that U.S. companies maintain their technological preeminence, upon which our military superiority ultimately depends. This is reflected in the level of support the amendment received from members concerned about U.S. national security."

"We want to thank Rep. Dreier for his leadership on this issue over the past several months," said Ken Kay, Executive Director for CCRE. "Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-CA) also deserves credit for being the first in Congress to introduce a bill to reduce the 180-day waiting period. We are eager to work with Senators Harry Reid (D-NV) and Robert Bennett (R-UT) to ensure that shortening the waiting period continues to be a high-tech priority for the 106th Congress."

CCRE members include Apple Computer, Inc., Compaq Computer Corporation, Dell Computer Corporation, Hewlett-Packard Company, IBM Corporation, Intel Corporation, NCR Corporation, SGI, Sun Microsystems, Inc., Unisys Corporation, the American Electronics Association (AEA), the Computer and Communications Industry Association (CCIA), the Computer Systems Policy Project (CSPP), the Electronic Industries Alliance (EIA), and the Information Technology Industry Council (ITI).

For more information about CCRE and the issues surrounding export controls, visit the CCRE website at: www.ccre.net.