WASHINGTON – Today on the Senate floor, U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) spoke in favor of a resolution to block the sale of F-16 fighter jets to Pakistan.

The Obama Administration announced on February 12 that it had approved the $700 million sale of the aircraft as well as radar and other equipment to Pakistan.

Citing a provision in the 1976 Arms Export Control Act, Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) attempted to win Senate approval of a Resolution of Disapproval on the sale.  However, the Senate voted 71 to 24 to table Sen. Paul’s Resolution of Disapproval.  

A transcript of Sen. Warner’s remarks on the floor prior to the vote is below. 

Transcription:

“If we move forward with these sales without putting some markers down, I think we potentially not only do damage to holding Pakistan’s feet to the fire in terms of the threat of terrorists in Afghanistan and elsewhere in the region, but also potentially could do damage to one of the most important relationships our country has, and that is the strategic relationship between the United States and India.

“This relationship has been one of enormous growing importance. India has been a valuable and strategic partner of the United States and is a tremendous ally in promoting global peace and security. That’s not always been the case. Relations between our two nations have been steadily improving over the past decade, ranging from approvals of the civilian nuclear agreement to frequent coordination between our militaries and at this point, over a hundred billion dollars in bilateral trade. Prime Minister Modi in India has made a personal commitment to improving the ties between the United States and India. The Prime Minister will come back to the United States at the end of this month.

“Nowhere is the potential for our strategic relationship greater than in our bilateral defense relationship, which again, has seen great progress over the last decade. Last year our two nations signed the framework that will advance military-to-military exchanges. We’re also proceeding with joint development of defense technology which seeks to increase defense sales and create a cooperative technology and industrial relationship that can promote both the capability in the United States and in India.

“So I viewed with some concern last month when the Administration announced the sale of these eight F-16’s to Pakistan. And again I want to commend the leadership of the Foreign Relations Committee for making very clear that even if this sale should go forward, the financing of this sale is still subject to further American review. What brings me to support Senator Paul’s resolution is the fact that as recently as January of this year, Pakistani-based terrorists claimed responsibility for an attack against an Indian military base at Pathankot. It resulted in the killing of Indian military forces and a great tragedy. So far Pakistan has refused to share intelligence or to turn over those suspects to the Indian government. With those kind of actions, I cannot go ahead and continue this policy where we continue to, in effect, give Pakistan a pass, whether it is actions in the region vis-à-vis Afghanistan or within their own country but also in terms of their unwillingness to meet India even halfway in terms of trying to bring a greater stability to one of the regions that could potentially be a tinderbox in terms of the border regions between India and Pakistan.

“So I will be supporting Senator Paul’s resolution. I hope that the government in Pakistan hears the concern of this senator and other senators. I hope they will act aggressively in terms of bringing the justice those terrorists who invade Indian space and attacked the India air force base showing that kind of responsible behavior might lead at least this senator taking a different view in terms of future military sales.”

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