National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2014

Floor Speech

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Mr. GINGREY of Georgia. Madam Chairman, I thank the chairman for recognizing me, and I rise in strong support of the Connolly-Granger-Diaz-Balart-Gingrey-Sires-Carter amendment No. 185 to H.R. 1960 that was included in the en bloc amendment No. 6.

As a former cochair of the Congressional Taiwan Caucus, I believe this amendment embodies the spirit of the Taiwan Relations Act of 1979 in providing assistance to Taiwan for its own defense.

Through the Taiwan Relations Act, we are able to conduct arms sales to Taipei. Over the past 30 years, we have done this time and time again. Unfortunately, the Obama administration has failed to proceed on Taiwan's top request: the F-16/CD aircraft.

Taiwan has an aging fixed-wing aircraft fleet; and with the growing military gap across the Taiwan Strait, it is critical that we sell them this aircraft.

Our bipartisan amendment does just that by requiring the President to move forward on the sale of no fewer than 66 F-16/CDs. And I urge my colleagues to uphold our commitment to Taiwan and support the Connolly-Granger-Diaz-Balart-Gingrey-Sires-Carter amendment.

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Mr. GINGREY of Georgia. Madam Chair, I rise today to urge my colleagues to support my commonsense amendment that was included in one of the en bloc amendments to be considered tomorrow that would express the sense of Congress that Active Duty military personnel who live in or are stationed in Washington, D.C., should be exempt from existing District of Columbia firearms restrictions.

It is no secret that the District of Columbia has historically had some of the most restrictive firearm regulations in the Nation, even after the victory for Second Amendment rights in the 2008 ruling by the Supreme Court in the District of Columbia v. Heller. With approximately 40,000 servicemen and -women across all branches of the Armed Forces either living in or actually stationed on Active Duty within the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area, these individuals are subject to the very laws of the District of Columbia that make the lawful possession of firearms nearly impossible.

My amendment would recognize that the D.C. handgun law, especially in regard to trained servicemen and -women, punishes individuals.

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Mr. GINGREY of Georgia. I thank the gentleman.

Madam Chairman, my amendment would recognize that the D.C. handgun law, especially in regard to trained servicemen and -women, punishes individuals well-equipped to protect themselves and others while emboldening perpetrators of violent crime.

I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to support this amendment.

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