[Congressional Bills 105th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Con. Res. 219 Introduced in House (IH)]







105th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. CON. RES. 219

  Relating to Taiwan's participation in the World Health Organization.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           February 12, 1998

Mr. Brown of Ohio (for himself, Mr. Solomon, Mr. Stupak, Mr. Bilirakis, 
Ms. DeGette, Mr. Strickland, Mr. Chabot, Mr. Wynn, and Mr. Rohrabacher) 
 submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to 
                the Committee on International Relations

_______________________________________________________________________

                         CONCURRENT RESOLUTION


 
  Relating to Taiwan's participation in the World Health Organization.

Whereas good health is a basic right for every citizen of the world and access 
        to the highest standards of health information and services is necessary 
        to help guarantee this right;
Whereas direct and unobstructed participation in international health 
        cooperation forums and programs is therefore crucial, especially with 
        today's greater potential for the cross-border spread of various 
        infectious diseases such as AIDS and Hong Kong bird flu through 
        increased international trade and travel;
Whereas the World Health Organization (WHO) set forth in the first chapter of 
        its charter the objective of attaining the highest possible level of 
        health for all peoples;
Whereas, in 1977, the WHO established ``Health for all by the year 2000'' as its 
        overriding priority and reaffirmed that central vision with the 
        initiation of its ``Health For All'' renewal process in 1995;
Whereas, according to the charter of the WHO (Chapter III, Article 3), 
        ``Membership in the Organization shall be open to all States'';
Whereas Taiwan is a nation state whose population of 21,000,000 people is larger 
        than that of three-quarters of the member states already in the WHO and 
        shares the noble goals of the organization;
Whereas Taiwan's achievements in the field of health are substantial, including 
        one of the highest life expectancy levels in Asia, maternal and infant 
        mortality rates comparable to those of western countries, the 
        eradication of such infectious diseases as cholera, smallpox, and the 
        plague, the first Asian nation to be rid of polio, and the first country 
        in the world to provide children with free hepatitis B vaccinations;
Whereas, prior to 1972 and its loss of membership in the WHO, Taiwan sent 
        specialists to serve in other member countries on countless health 
        projects and its health experts held key positions in the organization, 
        all to the benefit of the entire Pacific region;
Whereas, due to the unreasonable and unjustifiable political pressure which the 
        People's Republic of China applies to the international community, 
        Taiwan is currently excluded from the WHO;
Whereas Taiwan is thus not allowed to participate in all WHO-organized forums 
        and workshops regarding the latest techniques in the diagnosis, 
        monitoring, and control of diseases;
Whereas, in recent years, both the Taiwanese government and individual Taiwanese 
        experts have expressed a willingness to assist financially or 
        technically in WHO-supported international aid and health activities, 
        but have ultimately been unable to render such assistance due to the 
        political interference of the People's Republic of China; and
Whereas, in light of all of the above, the continuing denial of Taiwan's desire 
        to join the WHO is an indefensible violation of its people's basic 
        rights and demonstrates an inexplicable disregard for the benefits that 
        such membership could bring to the state of health not only in Taiwan, 
        but also regionally and globally: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), 
That it is the sense of the Congress that--
            (1) Taiwan and its 21,000,000 people should be represented 
        in the World Health Organization; and
            (2) it should be United States policy to support Taiwan's 
        representation in the World Health Organization forthwith.
                                 <all>