May 23, 2003

MEMORANDUM TO: OPINION LEADERS

FROM: GARY SCHMITT

SUBJECT: Supercomputers & Export Controls

Yesterday, the House of Representatives struck a blow for U.S. national security by defeating an amendment sponsored by Rep. David Dreier (R-CA) and Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-CA) that would make it easier for dangerous regimes to get their hands on the most powerful supercomputers the U.S. produces. By a vote of 201 to 217, the House voted to keep current export controls on a small fraction of American supercomputers that are going to nations with questionable proliferation track records.

The vote is all the more striking because the White House supported the amendment. Contrary to the administration's own rhetoric on curtailing weapons proliferation and the trade that exacerbates it, National Security Advisor Condeleezza Rice backed the repeal of current controls in a letter to Congressman Drier. According to Dr. Rice, the current licensing requirement for these high-end computers are "outdated and ineffective."

On the latter point, she is almost certainly right. But that is largely because neither this administration nor the previous administration has made an effort (as required by current law) to make sure computers sold to these few countries are not being used for illicit purposes. As for her other claim that the licensing requirement is "outdated," one might take this point more seriously if the administration had a reasonable alternative to put in its place. But it doesn't. To the contrary, the administration's position appears to be that of the computer industry: no controls whatsoever.

In persuading members to oppose the measure during House debate, foes of Dreier-Lofgren cited past examples where American hi-tech exports undermined U.S. security interests. Ironically, many of these examples came from a report (U.S. National Security and Military/Commercial Concerns with the People's Republic of China) published a few years back by a select committee chaired by Rep. Christopher Cox (R-CA); yesterday, Rep. Cox voted to support the repeal.

Given the computer industry's strength, there will renewed efforts to bring the amendment back up for another vote, possibly on the foreign aid bill. Instead of gutting the licensing requirement, however, Congress should ask the administration to put forward an export control regime that is consistent with national security and not the parochial interests of the California computer industry.