Coalition Statement on GAO Report on Inefficiencies in Arms Export Process

WASHINGTON, Jan. 8 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The following is a statement released today by the Coalition for Security and Competitiveness on the GAO Report:

The report from the Government Accountability Office recognizes that making the export control system more predictable, transparent and efficient is a matter of national security and economic importance. This is fully consistent with the position of the Coalition for Security and Competitiveness, and is reflected in our reform proposals shared with the administration and Congress in March 2007 .

In recent months, the State Department has done a commendable job in addressing an overwhelming caseload with limited resources. However, as the GAO notes, the current regimen is unsustainable. A new management model governing exports of U.S. technology is needed to effectively safeguard national security, support critical U.S. government programs and operations, and promote American technological leadership and competitiveness.

We understand the administration has developed a series of proposed reforms, and we look forward to its release. As ever, the coalition stands ready to work with the administration and Congress to implement the full range of our March 2007 export control modernization proposals.

The report is available at http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d0889.pdf.

CONTACTS:

AAEI: Marianne Rowden / (202) 857-8009 / [email protected]

AEA: Anne Caliguiri / (202) 682-4443 /

[email protected]

AIA: Matt Grimison / (703) 358-1076 /

[email protected]

ALESA: Toby Roth / (202) 213-3747 /

[email protected]

AMT: Paul Freedenberg / (703) 827-5282 /

[email protected]

Business Roundtable: Kirk Monroe / (202) 496-3269 / [email protected]