United States. FOREIGN OPERATIONS, EXPORT FINANCING, HEARINGS BEFORE A SUBCOMMITTEE OF THE COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS ONE HUNDRED FOURTH CONGRESS SECOND SESSION SUBCOMMITTEE ON FOREIGN OPERATIONS, EXPORT FINANCING, AND NOTE: Under Committee Rules, Mr. Livingston, as Chairman of the Full Committee, and Mr. Obey, as Ranking KF27 1996 Ptol COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS BOB LIVINGSTON, Louisiana, Chairman JOSEPH M. McDADE, Pennsylvania JOHN EDWARD PORTER, Illinois JIM KOLBE, Arizona BARBARA F. VUCANOVICH, Nevada RON PACKARD, California CHARLES H. TAYLOR, North Carolina ERNEST J. ISTOOK, JR., Oklahoma JOE KNOLLENBERG, Michigan JAY DICKEY, Arkansas JACK KINGSTON, Georgia FRANK RIGGS, California MIKE PARKER, Mississippi RODNEY P. FRELINGHUYSEN, New Jersey GEORGE R. NETHERCUTT, JR., Washington MARK W. NEUMANN, Wisconsin DAVID R. OBEY, Wisconsin JOHN P. MURTHA, Pennsylvania VIC FAZIO, California W. G. (BILL) HEFNER, North Carolina RICHARD J. DURBIN, Illinois ALAN B. MOLLOHAN, West Virginia MARCY KAPTUR, Ohio DAVID E. SKAGGS, Colorado NANCY PELOSI, California PETER J. VISCLOSKY, Indiana THOMAS M. FOGLIETTA, Pennsylvania ESTEBAN EDWARD TORRES, California JAMES W. DYER, Clerk and Staff Director (II) 96-170547 FOREIGN OPERATIONS, EXPORT FINANCING, AND RELATED PROGRAMS APPROPRIATIONS FOR 1997 AND SUPPLEMENTAL FOR 1996 WEDNESDAY, MARCH 6, 1996. JORDAN ARMS TRANSFERS WITNESSES WALTER B. SLOCOMBE, UNDER SECRETARY OF DEFENSE FOR POLICY, DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE ROBERT H. PELLETREAU, ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF STATE [NEA], DEPARTMENT OF STATE CHAIRMAN'S OPENING STATEMENT Mr. CALLAHAN. Gentlemen and members of the subcommittee, this afternoon the subcommittee will receive testimony from two senior administration officials regarding the President's proposed transfer of 16 F-16 fighter aircraft to the Government of Jordan at a cost of some $200,000,000 to the American taxpayer. Given the recent tragic events in the Middle East, I believe our hearing today is particularly important and timely for a variety of reasons. On the one hand, this proposal has important foreign policy implications. At the same time, it also raises equally important questions of fiscal responsibility. Unfortunately, it also seems to be another troubling example of the Administration's use of the defense budget for nondefense purposes. Finally, this proposal once again highlights the continued failure of the Administration to consult fully and openly with Congress before making multimillion dollar commitments to foreign governments. In reading the prepared remarks of our witnesses, I was struck at the similarity in testimony on Jordan provided last year. I would like to remind the witnesses that last year at the President's strong urging the Congress provided $275,000,000 to forgive nearly $500,000,000 in Jordanian debt. The Congress also approved a $100,000,000 drawdown of DOD stocks for Jordan and $30,000,000 in foreign military grants. This occurred even as the subcommittee was reducing the foreign operations budget by nearly 11 percent. Jordan is doing extremely well. This brings me to my first point, the question of fiscal responsibility. At what point does the Administration intend to say, "That is enough?" We all know that Jordan is an important participant in the Middle East peace process. But we also know that Uncle Sam's pockets are not bottomless. Balancing the budget requires judicious use of scarce resources. I think it is time for the Adminis |