House votes to ban parts sales to Iran

WASHINGTON – The House drew attention Monday to the danger posed by shortcomings in U.S. military surplus sales, voting a second time to ban the Pentagon from selling leftover F-14 fighter jet parts sought by Iran.

The House first approved the proposal last month as an add-on to military funding legislation.

It backed it again Monday on a voice vote, this time as a freestanding bill.

The measure, nicknamed the “Stop Arming Iran Act,” would be politically difficult for President Bush to veto. He has called Iran part of an “axis of evil” and accuses it of funding terrorism and trying to develop nuclear weapons.

The White House had no immediate comment on whether Bush supports the proposed ban, which is expected to win Senate approval.

The new House vote came as Iran abruptly called off talks on its nuclear program with the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency.

Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, D-Ariz., and Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., proposed the legislation after the Associated Press reported in January that buyers for Iran, China and other countries exploited weaknesses in Pentagon surplus sale security to acquire sensitive military gear including parts for F-14s, other aircraft and missiles.

In at least one instance, surplus sold through a Defense Department auction made it to Iran, law enforcement officials say.

Giffords, citing the AP story in remarks to the House, said her bill would “put an end to military surplus sales that may inadvertently be helping to sustain Iran’s air force.”

“We cannot take the risk that parts unique to the F-14 could be made available to Iran,” Giffords said.