[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 8358 Introduced in House (IH)]

<DOC>






118th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 8358

    To support Taiwan's international space, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              May 10, 2024

 Mr. Krishnamoorthi (for himself, Mr. Moolenaar, Mr. Meeks, Mr. Barr, 
   Mr. Bera, Mr. Connolly, Mr. Lieu, and Mr. Lawler) introduced the 
 following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
    To support Taiwan's international space, and for other purposes.

    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 Allies Fund Act''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress makes the following findings:
            (1) Taiwan is a free and prosperous democracy of more than 
        23,000,000 people and an important contributor to peace and 
        stability around the world.
            (2) The People's Republic of China has engaged in a years-
        long campaign to diplomatically isolate Taiwan on the world 
        stage.
            (3) Since 2013, the Gambia, Sao Tome and Principe, Panama, 
        the Dominican Republic, Burkina Faso, El Salvador, the Solomon 
        Islands, Kiribati, Nicaragua, Honduras, and, most recently in 
        2024, Nauru have severed diplomatic relations with Taiwan in 
        favor of diplomatic relations with the People's Republic of 
        China.
            (4) The People's Republic of China has used economic and 
        diplomatic intimidation against countries pursuing unofficial 
        relations with Taiwan, including Lithuania, Czechia, and the 
        United States.
            (5) The Taiwan Relations Act of 1979 (Public Law 96-8) 
        states that it is the policy of the United States ``to maintain 
        the capacity of the United States to resist any resort to force 
        or other forms of coercion that would jeopardize the security, 
        or the social or economic system, of the people on Taiwan''.
            (6) The Taiwan Allies International Protection and 
        Enhancement Initiative (TAIPEI) Act of 2019 (Public Law 116-
        135) states that the United States Government should--
                    (A) ``support Taiwan in strengthening its official 
                diplomatic relationships as well as other partnerships 
                with countries in the Indo-Pacific region and around 
                the world''; and
                    (B) ``consider, in certain cases as appropriate and 
                in alignment with United States interests, increasing 
                its economic, security, and diplomatic engagement with 
                nations that have demonstrably strengthened, enhanced, 
                or upgraded relations with Taiwan''.

SEC. 3. SENSE OF CONGRESS.

    It is the sense of Congress that the United States Government 
should--
            (1) advocate, as appropriate, for Taiwan's presence on the 
        global stage, including at international organizations;
            (2) promote the preservation and expansion of Taiwan's 
        official diplomatic relations with countries around the world;
            (3) expand Taiwan's unofficial relations with countries 
        around the world;
            (4) encourage countries with unofficial relations with 
        Taiwan to deepen their engagement; and
            (5) advance the economic development of countries that 
        support democratic partners like Taiwan.

SEC. 4. TAIWAN ALLIES FUND.

    (a) Authorization of Appropriations.--Of the amounts made available 
under the Countering PRC Influence Fund for each of the fiscal years 
2025, 2026, and 2027, there are authorized to be appropriated 
$40,000,000 for each such fiscal year to support Taiwan's international 
space.
    (b) Eligible Countries.--Amounts available pursuant to the 
authorization of appropriations under subsection (a) may be used in 
countries that--
            (1) maintain official relations with Taiwan or have 
        meaningfully strengthened unofficial relations with Taiwan;
            (2) have been subject to coercion or pressure by the 
        People's Republic of China due to their relations with Taiwan; 
        and
            (3) lack the economic or political capability to 
        effectively respond to such coercion or pressure by the 
        People's Republic of China without the support of the United 
        States.
    (c) Use of Funds.--Amounts available pursuant to the authorization 
of appropriations under subsection (a) may be used to support any of 
the following activities in the countries described in subsection (b):
            (1) To support health initiatives that provide alternatives 
        to the Health Silk Road.
            (2) To build the capacity and resilience of civil society, 
        media, and other nongovernmental organizations in countering 
        the influence and propaganda of the People's Republic of China.
            (3) To diversify supply chains away from the People's 
        Republic of China.
            (4) To provide alternatives to People's Republic of China 
        development assistance and project financing.
            (5) To advance Taiwan's meaningful participation in 
        international fora and multilateral organizations.
            (6) To work with the private sector to provide United 
        States or allied alternatives to People's Republic of China 
        information and communications technology infrastructure and 
        components.
    (d) Limitation on Funds.--A country described in subsection (b) may 
not receive more than $5,000,000 of funds made available pursuant to 
the authorization of appropriations under subsection (a) during any 
fiscal year.
    (e) Implementation.--
            (1) In general.--The Secretary of State, in consultation 
        with the Administrator for the United States Agency for 
        International Development, the Director of the American 
        Institute in Taiwan, and the heads other relevant Federal 
        agencies, shall coordinate and carry out activities described 
        in subsection (c).
            (2) Authorities.--Amounts available pursuant to the 
        authorization of appropriations under subsection (a) may be 
        considered foreign assistance under the Foreign Assistance Act 
        of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2151 et seq.) for purposes of making 
        available the administrative authorities in that Act and may be 
        transferred to, and merged with, funds made available for any 
        provision of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 to carry out 
        the purposes of this section, except that such funds shall 
        remain available until expended.
            (3) Coordination with taiwan.--In order to maximize cost 
        efficiency and eliminate duplication, the Secretary of State, 
        in consultation with the Administrator for the United States 
        Agency for International Development, should work with the 
        Director of the American Institute in Taiwan to ensure 
        coordination with relevant parties of Taiwan, as appropriate.
            (4) Cost-sharing with taiwan.--The Secretary of State 
        should convey to relevant parties of Taiwan, as appropriate, 
        that Taiwan should contribute commensurate assistance to 
        countries described in subsection (b).
            (5) Report.--
                    (A) In general.--Not later than 1 year after the 
                date of the enactment of this Act and annually 
                thereafter for two years, the Secretary of State shall 
                submit to the appropriate congressional committees a 
                report on activities described in this section that are 
                carried out during the preceding fiscal year.
                    (B) Elements.--Each report required by subparagraph 
                (A) shall include--
                            (i) with respect to each activity described 
                        in subsection (c)--
                                    (I) the amount of funding for the 
                                activity;
                                    (II) the goal to which the activity 
                                relates; and
                                    (III) an assessment of the success 
                                of the activity to meet the goal to 
                                which the activity relates; and
                            (ii) with respect to this subsection--
                                    (I) the amount of funding for the 
                                activity provided by Taiwan during the 
                                preceding year, if any; and
                                    (II) an assessment of whether the 
                                funding described in subclause (I) is 
                                commensurate with funding provided by 
                                the United States.
    (f) Rule of Construction.--Nothing in this section may be construed 
to apply to or limit United States foreign assistance not provided 
using amounts available pursuant to the authorization of appropriations 
under subsection (a).
    (g) Appropriate Congressional Committees Defined.--In this section, 
the term ``appropriate congressional committees'' means--
            (1) the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of 
        Representatives; and
            (2) the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate.
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