DeLauro, Granger Lead Over 80 Representatives Demanding Answers On Contract with Russian Arms Dealer

WASHINGTON, DC—Representatives Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) and KayGranger (R-TX) led a bipartisan coalition today voicing their opposition to aDefense Department contract to purchase helicopters for the Afghan NationalSecurity Forces from Russian state-owned arms dealer Rosoboronexport. Thelatest contract came just days after the House of Representatives voted 423-0on a DeLauro-Granger amendment to end the Department of Defense's relationshipwith Rosoboronexport. The letter sent by DeLauro, Granger, and 80 other membersrequests Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel answer questions about the contractrequired in the amendment.

"As you know, Russia serves as the main arms supplier toSyria providing weapons the regime is using to fuel a tragic war in thatcountry that has thus far claimed at least 93,000 lives," they wrote. "Even as Rosoboronexport was providing weapons to the Syrian regime last year,DoD entered into no-bid contracts to purchase Mi-17 helicopters for the ANSFfrom the firm.

"In response, Congress passed and President Obama signedinto law the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2013 (P.L.112-239) and the 2013 Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act(P.L. 113-6) prohibiting 2013 funds from being used to enter into contractswith Rosoboronexport. The Department of Defense is maneuvering around thelaw and using Fiscal Year 2012 Afghanistan Security Forces Funds to enter intothis new contract.

"That is why the House of Representatives passed anamendment to the National Defense Authorization Act of 2014 to strengthen theprohibition on DoD contracts with Rosoboronexport."

In addition to the strong bipartisan vote, the SpecialInspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction revealed last month that theAfghan Security Forces receiving Rosoboronexport's helicopters are nottrained--or even have enough people--to fly them, further calling into questionthe wisdom of this contract. Accordingly, the letter also asks Secretary Hagelto provide justification for buying these helicopters despite the inability ofAfghans to use them.

The full letter is as follows:

July 11, 2013

The Honorable Chuck Hagel

Secretary of Defense

1000 Defense Pentagon

Washington, DC 20301-1000

Dear Secretary Hagel,

We strongly oppose the Department of Defense's (DoD)recently signed contract with the Russian state arms dealer Rosoboronexport tosupply 30 additional Mi-17 helicopters for the Afghan National Security Forces(ANSF). The signing of the contract blatantly ignores the intent ofCongress which was reaffirmed with the bipartisan vote by the House ofRepresentatives, 423-0, seeking to end DoD's business relationship withRosoboronexport. It also appears ill advised in light of a recent SpecialInspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR) report critical of thepurchase.

As you know, Russia serves as the main arms supplier toSyria providing weapons the regime is using to fuel a tragic war in thatcountry that has thus far claimed at least 93,000 lives. Even asRosoboronexport was providing weapons to the Syrian regime last year, DoDentered into no-bid contracts to purchase Mi-17 helicopters for the ANSF fromthe firm.

In response, Congress passed and President Obama signed intolaw the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2013 (P.L. 112-239)and the 2013 Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act (P.L.113-6) prohibiting 2013 funds from being used to enter into contracts withRosoboronexport. The Department of Defense is maneuvering around the lawand using Fiscal Year 2012 Afghanistan Security Forces Funds to enter into thisnew contract.

That is why the House of Representatives passed an amendmentto the National Defense Authorization Act of 2014 to strengthen the prohibitionon DoD contracts with Rosoboronexport. The amendment granted you anational security waiver allowing you to purchase equipment from the Russianarms dealer so long as you submit a report to Congress 30 days prior to anysuch purchase.

That report requires you to provide Congress withinformation that we now respectfully request you provide by responding with thefollowing:

1. Anexplanation of why it is in the national security interest of the United Statesto purchase equipment from Rosoboronexport;

2. Anexplanation why comparable equipment cannot be purchased from anothercorporation;

3. Anassessment of the cooperation of Rosoboronexport with the Defense ContractAudit Agency;

4. Anassessment of whether and how many S–300 advanced anti-aircraft missiles havebeen delivered to the Assad regime by Rosoboronexport; and

5. A list ofthe contracts that Rosoboronexport has signed with the Assad regime sinceJanuary 1, 2013.

In addition, the SIGAR report, Afghan Special Mission Wing:DOD Plans to Spend $908 Million to Build Air Wing that the Afghans CannotOperate and Maintain, questions "the wisdom of moving ahead with the provisionof 30 new Mi-17s." The report notes that DoD's massive $908 millionfinancial investment, including the Mi-17 purchases, in the Afghan SpecialtyMission Wing (SMW) is moving forward even though the Afghans have not yetagreed to NATO's concept for reorganization within the Afghan government tosupport the SMW and even with a lack of planning to transfer critical maintenanceand logistics functions to the Afghans. Accordingly, we also respectfullyrequest that you provide justification for procuring 30 additional Mi-17helicopters despite the inability of the SMW to use them.

We firmly believe that DoD should not purchase helicoptersor any other equipment from Russia as it continues to arm Assad's regime.Moreover, it is unconscionable that American taxpayers are subsidizing acompany that is complicit in atrocities occurring in Syria.

We look forward to your prompt response.

Sincerely,

Rosa L. DeLauro

Kay Granger

James P. Moran

Jack Kingston

Keith Ellison

Frank R. Wolf

James P. McGovern

Walter B. Jones

Gerald E. Connolly

Michael H. Michaud

Peter J. Roskam

Jim Bridenstine

Jon Runyan

Tim Ryan

Michael T. McCaul

Barbara Lee

John B. Larson

Betty McCollum

Alan Nunnelee

Terri A. Sewell

Marcy Kaptur

John Conyers, Jr

Howard Coble

Kenny Marchant

David N. Cicilline

Jim McDermott

Mario Diaz-Balart

Steve Stivers

Janice D. Schakowsky

Sanford D. Bishop, Jr.

Raul Grijalva

William L. Owens

Gary C. Peters

Sam Farr

Alcee L. Hastings

Elizabeth H. Esty

Peter Welch

Tony Cardenas

Tim Griffin

William L. Enyart

Tom Cole

Ted Poe

Bobby L. Rush

Randy K. Weber, Sr.

Austin Scott

Niki Tsongas

Louise M. Slaughter

John Garamendi

Charles B. Rangel

Trey Radel

Michael G. Fitzpatrick

Steve Cohen

Tom Rooney

Stephen F. Lynch

Tammy Duckworth

Joe Courtney

Adam B. Schiff

James A. Himes

Derek Kilmer

Ann McLane Kuster

Juan Vargas

Mike Quigley

Martha Roby

Henry C. Johnson, Jr.

George Miller

Albio Sires

Daniel T. Kildee

Denny Heck

Alan Grayson

Joe Garcia

Jackie Speier

Colleen W. Hanabusa

Bill Johnson

Carol Shea-Porter

Joseph Crowley

Alan S. Lowenthal

Brian Higgins

Daniel B. Maffei

Rob Andrews

Andre Carson

Karen Bass