ACCESSION 
NUMBER:350237

FILE ID:ECO403

DATE:06/23/94

TITLE:SHORT-TERM EXTENSION OF EXPORT-CONTROL LAW STARTS TO ADVANCE (06/23/94)

TEXT:*94062303.ECO  ECEXPOLD  EXP CONTROLS  /te

SHORT-TERM EXTENSION OF EXPORT-CONTROL LAW STARTS TO ADVANCE

(No agreement yet on major reforms)  (480)

By Bruce Odessey

USIA Staff Writer

Washington -- Unable yet to achieve agreement on major export-control

reform, Congress is seeking to enact short-term extension of the existing

law.



The House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee approved by voice

vote June 23 a bill extending through August 20 the Export Administration

Act (EAA), which would otherwise expire June 30.



Still needed for extension is passage by the full House and Senate.  August

20 is about the time Congress would begin a one-month summer recess.



At least three committees in the House share jurisdiction on export controls

with Foreign Affairs, and at least two of those have approved rival

versions of major reform legislation at odds with that prepared by Foreign

Affairs.

1

Nevertheless, Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Lee Hamilton was reported

saying he intends to move a reform bill to the House floor for a vote the

first week of July.



The Senate has not yet acted on major reform either; the Senate Banking

Committee has approved a bill that is almost completely different from any

of the House versions.



EAA authorizes export controls on technology and goods that have both

civilian and military applications -- computers, telecommunications,

machine tools.  Export controls on weapons themselves are covered by

another law.



William Reinsch, under secretary of commerce, lamented to a congressional

forum June 23 how the Clinton administration sits uncomfortably at the

center of the heated debate.



Reinsch criticized the House Armed Services Committee version of the reform

legislation as going too far in reimposing export controls on items that

have already been decontrolled.  His comments indicated opposition also to

an Armed Services' provision giving the Defense Department exceptional

influence in export-control license decisions.



He criticized the Foreign Affairs version as going too far the other way.

Where the administration proposed a 90-day cap for licensing decisions,

Foreign Affairs would set a 30-day cap, which Reinsch said was insufficient

for reasoned judgments.



Reinsch also stated administration opposition to sector-specific

legislation, an oblique reference to Foreign Affairs' provision relaxing

many export controls on computer software with encryption capability; a

version approved in the House Select Intelligence Committee would delete

that provision.



The administration prefers multilateral controls where possible in groups

like the Missile Technology Control Regime, the Nuclear Suppliers Group and

the Australia Group (for biological and chemical weapons).



Its legislative proposal would allow unilateral controls under specific

conditions subject to review by Congress.  Reinsch said the Foreign Affairs

bill would give the administration too little flexibility for imposing

controls unilaterally while the Armed Services version would encourage

unilateral controls over multilateral ones.



Another provision in the Foreign Affairs bill causing problems is a flat

prohibition on export of any controlled item to countries designated as

terrorist.  The administration reportedly wants more flexibility.



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