Taiwan Air Power Modernization Act of 2011 - Expresses the sense of Congress that: (1) a critical element to maintaining peace and stability in Asia in the face of China's military expansion is ensuring a militarily strong Taiwan, (2) the United States has a statutory obligation under the Taiwan Relations Act to help Taiwan maintain sufficient self-defense capabilities, and (3) the proposed fighter aircraft sale to Taiwan would have significant economic benefits to the U.S. economy.
Directs the President to carry out the sale of no fewer than 66 F-16C/D multirole fighter aircraft to Taiwan.
[Congressional Bills 112th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2992 Introduced in House (IH)]
112th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 2992
To provide Taiwan with critically needed United States-built multirole
fighter aircraft to strengthen its self-defense capability against the
increasing military threat from China.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
September 21, 2011
Ms. Granger (for herself, Mr. Connolly of Virginia, Mr. Forbes, Ms.
Berkley, Mr. Camp, Mr. Diaz-Balart, Mr. Rohrabacher, Mr. Burton of
Indiana, Mr. Austin Scott of Georgia, Mr. McCaul, Mr. Carter, and Mr.
Berman) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Foreign Affairs
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To provide Taiwan with critically needed United States-built multirole
fighter aircraft to strengthen its self-defense capability against the
increasing military threat from China.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Taiwan Airpower Modernization Act of
2011''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress makes the following findings:
(1) The Department of Defense, in its 2011 report to
Congress on ``Military and Security Developments Involving the
People's Republic of China'', found that ``China continued
modernizing its military in 2010, with a focus on Taiwan
contingencies, even as cross-Strait relations improved. The PLA
seeks the capability to deter Taiwan independence and influence
Taiwan to settle the dispute on Beijing's terms. In pursuit of
this objective, Beijing is developing capabilities intended to
deter, delay, or deny possible U.S. support for the island in
the event of conflict. The balance of cross-Strait military
forces and capabilities continues to shift in the mainland's
favor.'' In this report, the Department of Defense also
concludes that, over the next decade, China's air force will
remain primarily focused on ``building the capabilities
required to pose a credible military threat to Taiwan and U.S.
forces in East Asia, deter Taiwan independence, or influence
Taiwan to settle the dispute on Beijing's terms''.
(2) The Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) conducted a
preliminary assessment of the status and capabilities of
Taiwan's air force in an unclassified report, dated January 21,
2010. The DIA found that, ``[a]lthough Taiwan has nearly 400
combat aircraft in service, far fewer of these are
operationally capable.'' The report concluded, ``Many of
Taiwan's fighter aircraft are close to or beyond service life,
and many require extensive maintenance support. The retirement
of Mirage and F-5 aircraft will reduce the total size of the
Taiwan Air Force.''
(3) Since 2006, authorities from Taiwan have made repeated
requests to purchase 66 F-16C/D multirole fighter aircraft from
the United States, in an effort to modernize the air force of
Taiwan and maintain its self-defense capability.
(4) According to a report by the Perryman Group, a private
economic research and analysis firm, the requested sale of F-
16C/Ds to Taiwan ``would generate some $8,700,000,000 in output
(gross product) and more than 87,664 person-years of employment
in the US,'' including 23,407 direct jobs, while ``economic
benefits would likely be realized in 44 states and the District
of Columbia''.
(5) The sale of F-16C/Ds to Taiwan would both sustain
existing high-skilled jobs in key United States manufacturing
sectors and create new ones.
(6) On August 1, 2011, a bipartisan group of 181 members of
the House of Representatives sent a letter to the President,
expressing support for the sale of F-16C/Ds to Taiwan. On May
26, 2011, a bipartisan group of 45 members of the Senate sent a
similar letter to the President, expressing support for the
sale. Two other members of the Senate wrote separately to the
President or the Secretary of State in 2011 and expressed
support for this sale.
SEC. 3. SENSE OF CONGRESS.
It is the sense of Congress that--
(1) a critical element to maintaining peace and stability
in Asia in the face of China's two-decade-long program of
military modernization and expansion of military capabilities
is ensuring a militarily strong and confident Taiwan;
(2) a Taiwan that is confident in its ability to deter
Chinese aggression will increase its ability to proceed in
developing peaceful relations with China in areas of mutual
interest;
(3) the cross-Strait military balance between China and our
longstanding strategic partner, Taiwan, has clearly shifted in
China's favor;
(4) China's military expansion poses a clear and present
danger to Taiwan, and this threat has very serious implications
for the ability of the United States to fulfill its security
obligations to allies in the region and protect our vital
United States national interests in East Asia;
(5) Taiwan's air force continues to deteriorate, and it
needs additional advanced multirole fighter aircraft in order
to modernize its fleet and maintain a sufficient self-defense
capability;
(6) the United States has a statutory obligation under the
Taiwan Relations Act (22 U.S.C. 3301 et seq.) to provide Taiwan
the defense articles necessary to enable Taiwan to maintain
sufficient self-defense capabilities, in furtherance of
maintaining peace and stability in the western Pacific region;
(7) in order to comply with the Taiwan Relations Act, the
United States must provide Taiwan with additional advanced
multirole fighter aircraft, as well as significant upgrades to
Taiwan's existing fleet of multirole fighter aircraft; and
(8) the proposed sale of F-16C/D multirole fighter aircraft
to Taiwan would have significant economic benefits to the
United States economy.
SEC. 4. SALE OF F-16 AIRCRAFT TO TAIWAN.
The President shall carry out the sale of no fewer than 66 F-16C/D
multirole fighter aircraft to Taiwan.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs.
Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by Voice Vote.
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