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“TAIWAN ASSURANCE ACT OF 2019” mentioning the U.S. Dept of State was published in the House of Representatives section on pages H3455-H3457 on May 7, 2019.
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The publication is reproduced in full below:
TAIWAN ASSURANCE ACT OF 2019
Mr. SIRES. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill
(H.R. 2002) to foster security in Taiwan, and for other purposes.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 2002
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Taiwan Assurance Act of 2019''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress makes the following findings:
(1) April 10, 2019, marks the 40th anniversary of the Taiwan Relations Act of 1979 (Public Law 96-8).
(2) Since 1949, the close relationship between the United States and Taiwan has benefitted both parties and the broader Indo-Pacific region.
(3) The security of Taiwan and its democracy are key elements of continued peace and stability of the greater Indo-Pacific region, which is in the political, security, and economic interests of the United States.
(4) The People's Republic of China is currently engaged in a comprehensive military modernization campaign to enhance the power-projection capabilities of the People's Liberation Army and its ability to conduct joint operations, which is shifting the military balance of power across the Taiwan Strait.
(5) Taiwan and its diplomatic partners continue to face sustained pressure and coercion from the People's Republic of China, which seeks to isolate Taiwan from the international community.
(6) It is the policy of the United States to reinforce its commitments to Taiwan under the Taiwan Relations Act in a manner consistent with the ``Six Assurances'' and in accordance with the United States ``One China'' policy.
(7) In the Taiwan Travel Act, which became law on March 16, 2018, Congress observed that the ``self-imposed restrictions that the United States maintains on high-level visits'' between the United States and Taiwan have resulted in insufficient high-level communication.
SEC. 3. SENSE OF CONGRESS.
It is the sense of Congress that--
(1) Taiwan is a vital part of the United States Free and Open Indo-Pacific Strategy;
(2) the United States Government--
(A) supports Taiwan's continued pursuit of asymmetric capabilities and concepts; and
(B) urges Taiwan to increase its defense spending in order to fully resource its defense strategy; and
(3) the United States should conduct regular sales and transfers of defense articles to Taiwan in order to enhance its self-defense capabilities, particularly its efforts to develop and integrate asymmetric capabilities, including undersea warfare and air defense capabilities, into its military forces.
SEC. 4. TAIWAN'S INCLUSION IN INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS.
(a) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that the People's Republic of China's attempts to dictate the terms of Taiwan's participation in international organizations, has, in many cases, resulted in Taiwan's exclusion from such organizations even when statehood is not a requirement, and that such exclusion--
(1) is detrimental to global health, civilian air safety, and efforts to counter transnational crime;
(2) negatively impacts the safety and security of citizens globally; and
(3) negatively impacts the security of Taiwan and its democracy.
(b) Statement of Policy.--It is the policy of the United States to advocate for Taiwan's meaningful participation in the United Nations, the World Health Assembly, the International Civil Aviation Organization, the International Criminal Police Organization, and other international bodies, as appropriate, and to advocate for Taiwan's membership in the Food and Agriculture Organization, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, and other international organizations for which statehood is not a requirement for membership.
SEC. 5. REVIEW OF DEPARTMENT OF STATE TAIWAN GUIDELINES.
(a) In General.--Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State shall conduct a review of the Department of State's guidance that governs relations with Taiwan, including the periodic memorandum entitled ``Guidelines on Relations with Taiwan'' and related documents, and reissue such guidance to executive branch departments and agencies.
(b) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that the Department of State's guidance regarding relations with Taiwan--
(1) should be crafted with the intent to deepen and expand United States-Taiwan relations, and be based on the value, merits, and importance of the United States-Taiwan relationship;
(2) should be crafted giving due consideration to the fact that Taiwan is governed by a representative democratic government that is peacefully constituted through free and fair elections that reflect the will of the people of Taiwan, and that Taiwan is a free and open society that respects universal human rights and democratic values; and
(3) should ensure that the conduct of relations with Taiwan reflects the longstanding, comprehensive, and values-based relationship the United States shares with Taiwan, and contribute to the peaceful resolution of cross-Strait issues.
(c) Reporting Requirements.--Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State shall submit to the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate and the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives a report that includes a description of--
(1) the results of the review pursuant to subsection (a) of the Department of State's guidance on relations with Taiwan, including a copy of the reissued ``Guidelines of Relations with Taiwan'' memorandum; and
(2) the implementation of the Taiwan Travel Act (Public Law 115-135) and any changes to guidance on relations with Taiwan that are the result of such implementation.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Sires) and the gentleman from Texas (Mr. McCaul) each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from New Jersey.
General Leave
Mr. SIRES. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H.R. 2002, the Taiwan Assurance Act of 2019.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from New Jersey?
There was no objection.
Mr. SIRES. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
I rise in strong support of H.R. 2002, the Taiwan Assurance Act of 2019.
Last month, we celebrated the 40th anniversary of the Taiwan Relations Act, so it is fitting that we are standing here today to bring two important measures to the floor, including this one, to affirm the unwavering, bipartisan congressional support for Taiwan.
Taiwan serves as a steadfast and significant partner to the United States, not just in the Indo-Pacific, but also around the world. It makes substantial contributions to the international community by tackling global challenges, from combating terrorism to promoting public health; and it holds close the values we cherish the most, standing as a beacon of democracy in Asia.
However, over the years, China has attempted to weaken Taiwan's standing in the world. It has restricted Taiwan's access to international organizations and poached its diplomatic allies, and it has attempted to shape the way the United States conducts its relationship with Taiwan, a dynamic we have, regretfully, allowed.
We must not--we cannot--stand for this. We cannot sit idly by and allow one of our most valued democratic partners to be sidelined on the world stage. It is time to revisit the guidelines we use in the conduct of our relationship with Taiwan and ensure that the United States is doing all it can to fulfill our commitments to Taiwan.
That is why I am proud to support and cosponsor the Taiwan Assurance Act. This measure asks the State Department to take a closer look at self-imposed guidelines we follow with Taiwan and assess them based on merit, not on what would appease China.
As proud co-chair of the Taiwan Caucus, I strongly support the passage of H.R. 2002, and I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. McCAUL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
I rise in support of the Taiwan Assurance Act, a bill introduced to deepen and expand U.S.-Taiwan relations. I want to thank Chairman Engel and all those on the other side of the aisle and the gentleman from New Jersey for agreeing to be the lead Democratic cosponsors of this important bill that deepens our ties with Taiwan.
Of note, the bill urges the State Department to eliminate self-
imposed restrictions on U.S. diplomatic interactions with Taiwan and to provide Congress access to those policies for the first time.
Prior administrations have applied unnecessary and arbitrary restrictions on their own interactions with officials from Taiwan. At times, these restrictions expanded, apparently in response to complaints by Communist China.
As the body that produced the Taiwan Relations Act, it is necessary and appropriate for Congress to have awareness and a say in how these policies are made. They go well beyond what is required by the carefully crafted TRA, which does not even state that U.S.-Taiwan relations are unofficial.
Since the TRA was enacted in 1979, Taiwan's Government has evolved into a vibrant democracy, while the Chinese Government has become more and more authoritarian.
It is improper to restrict relations with Taiwan to avoid offending the Chinese Communist Party, and it is out of step with reality to keep pretending that Taiwan is anything other than a fully functioning democracy.
Taiwan deserves a more elevated relationship with the United States, and I urge my colleagues to join me in rewarding Taiwan's commitment to democracy by supporting the Taiwan Assurance Act.
Mr. Speaker, in closing, I would just like to, once again, thank Chairman Engel and the entire Foreign Affairs Committee for their enthusiastic support of this measure and their support for the democracy of Taiwan.
I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. SIRES. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
I urge my colleagues to support this measure. This is an important bill that demonstrates our historical bipartisan support for Taiwan, and so, as co-chair of the Taiwan Caucus, I strongly promote the immediate passage of H.R. 2002.
Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Ms. JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the Taiwan Assurance Act and to recognize the 40th Anniversary of the Taiwan Relations Act. Taiwan has made great strides over the past forty years becoming a beacon of democracy and individual freedom.
The Taiwan Assurance Act reaffirms the United States' strong commitment to Taiwan, and takes necessary steps to ensure that the friendship between the people of the United States and Taiwan continues to grow. Furthermore, this bill recognizes Taiwan's contributions in various areas such as global health and makes it the policy of the United States to advocate for Taiwan's inclusion in the United Nations and other international organizations such as the World Health Assembly.
It was an honor to travel to Taiwan last month with a few of my colleagues to celebrate the 40th Anniversary of the Taiwan Relations Act and to witness the opening of the new facility for the American Institute in Taiwan.
While our relationship remains unofficial, enacted legislation such as the Taiwan Travel Act will allow high level officials from both governments to travel and meet with their counterparts, allowing both parties to foster and strengthen the important relationship we share.
Mr. Speaker, in these rapidly changing times across the world, it is important and even more necessary for us to recognize and appreciate our allies who carry a strong belief in democracy and human rights. Taiwan is a prime example of that and I commend them for the progress they have made over the past forty years. I look forward to seeing this relationship continue and strengthen over time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Sires) that the House suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 2002.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the rules were suspended and the bill was passed.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
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