[Congressional Bills 111th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 927 Introduced in House (IH)]

111th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. RES. 927

Declaring that it shall continue to be the policy of the United States, 
 consistent with the Taiwan Relations Act, to make available to Taiwan 
 such defense articles and services as may be necessary for Taiwan to 
             maintain a sufficient self-defense capability.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           November 19, 2009

   Mr. Barton of Texas submitted the following resolution; which was 
              referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
Declaring that it shall continue to be the policy of the United States, 
 consistent with the Taiwan Relations Act, to make available to Taiwan 
 such defense articles and services as may be necessary for Taiwan to 
             maintain a sufficient self-defense capability.

Whereas April 10, 2009, marked the 30th anniversary of the enactment of the 
        Taiwan Relations Act (Public Law 96-8), codifying in law the basis for 
        continued commercial, cultural, and other relations between the United 
        States and the Taiwan;
Whereas the Taiwan Relations Act, as the cornerstone of United States-Taiwan 
        relations, has been instrumental in maintaining peace, security, and 
        stability in the Taiwan Strait since its enactment in 1979, when the 
        United States extended diplomatic recognition to the People's Republic 
        of China;
Whereas the Taiwan Relations Act specifies that it is United States policy to 
        consider any non-peaceful means to determine Taiwan's future ``a 
        threat'' to the peace and security of the Western Pacific and of ``grave 
        concern'' to the United States, ``to provide Taiwan with arms of a 
        defensive character'' and ``to maintain the capacity of the United 
        States to resist any resort to force or other forms of coercion'' 
        jeopardizing the security, or social or economic system of Taiwan's 
        people;
Whereas section 3(a) of the Taiwan Relations Act states that ``the United States 
        will make available to Taiwan such defense articles and defense services 
        in such quantity as may be necessary to enable Taiwan to maintain a 
        sufficient self-defense capability'';
Whereas section 3(b) of the Taiwan Relations Act stipulates that both the 
        President and the Congress shall determine the nature and quantity of 
        such defense articles and services ``based solely'' upon their judgment 
        of the needs of Taiwan;
Whereas Taiwan's 2007 defense budget included approximately $488,000,000 to 
        begin the process of procuring 66 new United States-origin F-16C/D 
        fighters, pending United States price and availability data;
Whereas the Taiwanese Defense Ministry has requested and the Executive Yuan 
        approved in August 2007 a 2008 defense budget that includes 
        approximately $764,000,000 for the second year's budget for F-16C/D 
        fighters;
Whereas the 2009 Pentagon Report on the Military Power of the People's Republic 
        of China stated that ``The PLA's modernization vis-a-vis Taiwan has 
        continued over the past year, including its build-up of short-range 
        missiles opposite the island'', and that ``In the near-term, China's 
        armed forces are rapidly developing coercive capabilities for the 
        purpose of deterring Taiwan's pursuit of de jure independence'';
Whereas the report added that ``These same capabilities could in the future be 
        used to pressure Taiwan toward a settlement of the cross-Strait dispute 
        on Beijing's terms while simultaneously attempting to deter, delay, or 
        deny any possible U.S. support for the island in case of conflict''; and
Whereas the Director of National Intelligence, Admiral Dennis Blair, in the 2009 
        Annual threat Assessment of the Intelligence Community for the Senate 
        Select Committee on Intelligence, stated that ``Preparations for a 
        possible Taiwan conflict continue to drive the modernization goals of 
        the People's Liberation Army and the Chinese defense-industrial 
        complex'': Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That--
            (1) it shall continue to be the policy of the United 
        States, consistent with the Taiwan Relations Act, to make 
        available to Taiwan such defense articles and services as may 
        be necessary for Taiwan to maintain a sufficient self-defense 
        capability; and
            (2) the United States should determine the nature and 
        quantity of such defense articles and services ``based solely'' 
        upon the legitimate defense needs of Taiwan.
                                 <all>