That was pushed by Dole, but was adopted on 12/22/1988, after she had left the office of the DOT Secretary. It was James Burnley IV at the DOT, and T. Allan McArtor as FAA Adminstrator.
Look at FAR Part 145 Subpart C (145.71)
http://www.gpo.gov/f...3-sec145-71.pdf
"On December 22, 1988, Amendment No. 145-21 became effective. This amendment revised
§ 145.71 (General requirements) to modify the requirement for a determination of need for the issuance of a certificate. It did this by eliminating the restriction that the U.S.-registered aircraft to be maintained or altered be "outside the United States." It also expanded the limitation of what could be maintained or altered from just u.S.-registered aircraft to include also engines, propellers, appliances, or component parts thereof for use on u.S.-registered aircraft. At the same time, in order to align with amended § 145.71, § 145.73 (Scope of work authorized) was also expanded to increase the scope of items that could be worked on by foreign repair stations. Eliminated was the restriction that work could be performed only on aircraft used in operations conducted in whole or in part outside the United States. Now, along with the change to
§ 145.71 that authorized work on products other than the complete aircraft, new § 145.73
permitted u.S.-registered aircraft and engines, propellers, appliances, and component parts for use on such aircraft to be flown or shipped from any location, whether or not in the United States, to the foreign repair station for the work, and then shipped to any location, including the United States. Through § 145.71, the showing of need requirement remained for this expanded scope of work."
