Aerospace States Association Hearing on U.S. Export Controls

Photos

The Aerospace States Association (ASA) held a hearing on Capitol Hill on March 11, 2008 to bring attention to the unintended consequences of current U.S. export control policies and practices.  ASA Chairman Vermont Lt. Governor Brian Dubie, and ASA Vice Chairman Hawaii Lt. Governor James Aiona conducted the hearing. Janice Dunn, Deputy Director of the California Space Authority and ASA Vice Chair, Policy Committee, represented California and presented written testimony from California Lt. Governor John Garamendi.  ASA is a scientific and educational organization comprised of Lt. Governors and Governor-appointed delegates that promotes a state-based perspective in federal aerospace policy development. 
   
The hearing started with an address by Representative Donald Manzullo (R-IL), who is an original sponsor of the bi-partisan bill, H.R. 4246, the "Defense Trade Controls Performance Improvement Act."  Representative Manzullo along with Representative Brad Sherman (D-CA), Representative Joe Crowley (D-NY) and Representative Roy Blunt (R-MO) introduced the bill to Congress in November 2007.  Separately, President Bush signed in January 2008 a package of U.S. Export Control Reform Directives addressing some of the concerns raised by industry about the efficiency and effectiveness of the current export control system.     

Four panels representing industry, academia, government and the media followed Representative Manzullo with testimony to ASA delegates.  Panelists included the Honorable Marion Blakey, President and CEO of the Aerospace Industries Association, Colonel Peter Bunce, President and CEO of the General Aviation Manufacturers Association, David Logsdon, Executive Director of the Space Enterprise Council of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Professor Bob Twiggs, Stanford University, Dr. Thomas Zurbuchen, University of Michigan, Dr. Claude Canizares, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Joseph Rouge, Director of the Pentagon's National Security Space Office, Matthew Borman, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Export Controls, John Hall, Director of Export Controls for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Robert Kovac, Managing Director of the State Department's Directorate of Defense Trade Controls, Tony Velocci, Editor-in-Chief of Aviation Week & Space Technology, and Lon Rains, Editor of Space News. 

At the conclusion of the hearing, the ASA delegates passed a resolution encouraging members of Congress to pass H.R. 4246 and to take additional steps to streamline U.S. export control policies and practices.

The hearing was sponsored by Orbital Sciences and Space Systems/Loral.

A copy of the ASA resolution can be found here.

Testimonials presented at the hearing:

• Marion Blakey, Aerospace States Association
• Peter Bunce, General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA)
• Claude Canizares, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
• John Hall, Jr., National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)
• David Logsdon, U.S. Chamber of Commerce Space Enterprise Council
• Hon. Donald Manzullo, Aerospace States Association
• Prof. Thomas Zurbuchen, University of Michigan
• Joe Rouge, National Security Space Office
• Prof. Robert Twiggs, Stanford University
• Tony Velocci, Aviation Week

Links to background materials and source documents can be found here:

• Rising Above the Gathering Storm
• Final Report of the Commission of the Future of the U.S. Aerospace Industry (2002)
• Defense Industrial Base Assessment of Space Industry Final Report
• CSIS Report on the Health of the U.S. Space Industrial Base and the Impact of Export Controls
• GAO Report on Export Controls
• GAO Report on Defense Trade
• HR 4246
• White House Directives

PHOTOS

 

Congressman Donald Manzullo of Illinois	Marion Blakey, President/CEO, AIA	Peter Bunce, President/CEO, GAMA
Lt. Gov. Brian Dubie (Vermont), Chairman, Aerospace States Association	Janice Dunn, Deputy Director, California Space Authority, and ASA Vice Chair, Policy Committee	Lt. Gov. James Aiona, Jr. (Hawaii), Vice Chairman, Aerospace States Association
Professor Bob Twiggs, Stanford University	Matthew Borman, Department of Commerce	John Hall, Director of Export Controls, NASA
Robert Kovac, Directorate of Defense Controls, Department of State	Joe Rouge, Director, National Security Space Office	Lon Rains, Editor, Space News

 

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