Obama Threatens to Veto Bill that Includes Satellite Export Control Changes

May 21, 2012 | Satellite Today | Jeffrey Hill

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[Satellite TODAY 05-21-12] The U.S. National Defense Authorization Act for fiscal year 2013 has been amended to include a measure that would give the U.S. president authority to ease export restrictions for commercial satellites and related components, Rep. Howard Berman (D-Calif.) said in a May 17 statement.

   Berman said the amended bill is now under consideration in the U.S. House of Representatives, though U.S. President Barack Obama has threatened to reject it because of a kind of provisions unrelated to the satellite-export issue. 

   "Treating commercial satellites and components as if they were lethal weapons, regardless of whether they're going to friend or foe, has seriously damaged American space manufacturersa view borne out by numerous studies, industry assessments and the Administration's own recent 1248 report to Congress,Berman said in the statement.