1.   American satellite companies defend the U.S. position.

2.   American satellite makers contend transferring the jurisdiction of approving satellite launches in China from the State Department to the Commerce Department was crucial to their business.

3.   American satellites are also capable of monitoring Iraq.

4.   American satellites that monitor launches could in theory reassure the aggrieved side that there had been no missile attack.

5.   American satellite television companies could not challenge the piracy here because they are not licensed in Canada.

6.   At the hearing, Congress also disclosed that the Justice Department has begun an investigation of a second failed China missile launch that also involved an American satellite.

7.   -- Weather forecasters watched El Nino wax and wane over the Pacific all winter and spring in images transmitted from an American satellite named named Topex Poseidon.

8.   Also at issue is the American satellite venture.

9.   Both the U.S. government and an American satellite industry alliance have put up partial-sale proposals.

10.   But five years ago, Rohrabacher and many of the other California Republicans who signed the letter were equally concerned about keeping the American satellite industry healthy.