[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 36 (Tuesday, March 28, 2000)]
[House]
[Pages H1435-H1437]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                              {time}  1545
        AMERICAN INSTITUTE IN TAIWAN FACILITIES ENHANCEMENT ACT

  Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 3707) to authorize funds for the site selection and 
construction of a facility in Taipei, Taiwan suitable for the mission 
of the American Institute in Taiwan, as amended.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                               H.R. 3707

       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 ``American Institute in Taiwan 
     Facilities Enhancement Act''.

     SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

       The Congress finds that--
       (1) in the Taiwan Relations Act of 1979 (22 U.S.C. 3301 et 
     seq.), the Congress established the American Institute in 
     Taiwan (hereafter in this Act referred to as ``AIT''), a 
     nonprofit corporation incorporated in the District of 
     Columbia, to carry out on behalf of the United States 
     Government any and all programs, transactions, and other 
     relations with Taiwan;
       (2) the Congress has recognized AIT for the successful role 
     it has played in sustaining and enhancing United States 
     relations with Taiwan;
       (3) the Taipei office of AIT is housed in buildings which 
     were not originally designed for the important functions that 
     AIT performs, whose location does not provide adequate 
     security for its employees, and which, because they are 
     almost 50 years old, have become increasingly expensive to 
     maintain;
       (4) the aging state of the AIT office building in Taipei is 
     neither conducive to the safety and welfare of AIT's American 
     and local employees nor commensurate with the level of 
     contact that exists between the United States and Taiwan;
       (5) because of the unofficial character of United States 
     relations with Taiwan, the Department of State is not 
     responsible for funding the construction of a new office 
     building for the Taipei office of AIT;
       (6) AIT has made a good faith effort to set aside funds for 
     the construction of a new office building, but these funds 
     will be insufficient to construct a building that is large 
     and secure enough to meet AIT's current and future needs; and
       (7) because the Congress established AIT and has a strong 
     interest in United States relations with Taiwan, the Congress 
     has a special responsibility to ensure the AIT's requirements 
     for safe and appropriate office quarters are met.

     SEC. 3. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

       (a) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized 
     to be appropriated the sum of $75,000,000 to AIT--
       (1) for plans for a new facility and, if necessary, 
     residences or other structures located in close physical 
     proximity to such facility, in Taipei, Taiwan, for AIT to 
     carry out its purposes under the Taiwan Relations Act; and
       (2) for acquisition by purchase or construction of such 
     facility, residences, or other structures.
       (b) Limitations.--Funds appropriated pursuant to subsection 
     (a) may only be used if the new facility described in that 
     subsection meets all requirements applicable to the security 
     of United States diplomatic facilities, including the 
     requirements in the Omnibus Diplomatic Security and Anti-
     Terrorism Act of 1986 (22 U.S.C. 4801 et seq.) and the Secure 
     Embassy Construction and Counterterrorism Act of 1999 (as 
     enacted by section 1000(a)(7) of Public Law 106-113; 113 Stat 
     1501A-451), except for those requirements which the Director 
     of AIT certifies to the Committee on International Relations 
     of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Foreign 
     Relations of the Senate are not applicable on account of the 
     special statue of AIT.
       (c) Availability of Funds.--Amounts appropriated pursuant 
     to subsection (a) are authorized to remain available until 
     expended.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Petri). Pursuant to the rule, the 
gentleman from New York (Mr. Gilman) and the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. 
Brown) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from New York (Mr. Gilman).


                             General Leave

  Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may 
have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks 
on H.R. 3707.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from New York?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  (Mr. GILMAN asked and was given permission to revise and extend his 
remarks.)
  Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to rise in support of H.R. 
3707, a bill to authorize funds for the construction or acquisition of 
a new facility for the American Institute in Taiwan.
  I would like to thank the distinguished sponsor of the bill, the vice 
chairman of our committee, the chairman of the Subcommittee on Asia and 
the Pacific, the gentleman from Nebraska (Mr. Bereuter), for his 
efforts

[[Page H1436]]

 in framing this bill and in amending it to improve it further for 
consideration by the full committee.
  Mr. Speaker, the American Institute of Taiwan serves the important 
function of maintaining relations with Taiwan, and the mission should 
be appropriately supported by the Congress. There is no doubt that the 
current facility is inadequate and does not meet security standards. 
This bill authorizes $75 million for a suitable location for a new 
facility and for necessary construction costs.
  We are looking forward to a long future with Taiwan and it is time to 
make the long-range commitment and invest in a new facility to support 
this relationship. Accordingly, I am urging my colleagues to support 
the bill.
  Mr. Speaker, I provide for the Record information on a cost estimate 
done by the Congressional Budget Office on this matter:

   H.R. 3707--American Institute in Taiwan Facilities Enhancement Act

       H.R. 3707 would authorize $75 million for the design and 
     construction of a new facility in Taipei to be used by the 
     American Institute in Taiwan. The American Institute in 
     Taiwan is a nonprofit corporation that facilitates programs 
     and relations between the United States and Taiwan. CBO 
     estimates that implementing H.R. 3707 would cost $6 million 
     in 2001 and $63 million over the 2001-2005 period, assuming 
     appropriation of the authorized amount. (We estimate that the 
     remaining $12 million would be spent after 2005.) Because the 
     bill would not affect direct spending or receipts, pay-as-
     you-go procedures would not apply.
       H.R. 3707 contains no intergovernmental or private-sector 
     mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act and 
     would not affect the budgets of state, local, or tribal 
     governments.
       The CBO staff contact is Sunita D'Monte. This estimate was 
     approved by Peter H. Fontaine, Deputy Assistant Director for 
     Budget Analysis.

  Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman 
from Nebraska (Mr. Bereuter).
  Mr. BEREUTER. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me this 
time and, as the author of H.R. 3707, the American Institute 
Enhancement Act, this Member rises in strong support of what he regards 
as timely and responsible legislation.
  Before commenting on it, though, this Member would like to express 
his sincere appreciation to the Subcommittee on International 
Operations and Human Rights, the distinguished gentleman from New 
Jersey (Mr. Smith), for his much appreciated assistance in moving this 
bill forward so quickly and for suggested refinements that were 
incorporated in the bill during the markup of the Committee on 
International Relations.
  This Member would also like to thank the distinguished chairman of 
the committee, the gentleman from New York (Mr. Gilman) and the ranking 
minority member, the gentleman from Connecticut (Mr. Gejdenson), for 
supporting this bill and moving it expeditiously.
  Additionally, I express my appreciation to the ranking minority 
member of the Subcommittee on Asia and the Pacific, the distinguished 
gentleman from California (Mr. Lantos), for his cosponsorship and 
special cooperation in expediting the consideration of this 
legislation.
  Mr. Speaker, this Member believes it is important to note that the 
United States' commitment to the security and well-being of the people 
of Taiwan is enshrined in the Taiwan Relations Act of 1979, the TRA, a 
congressional initiative of that year, responding to a controversial 
Carter administration initiative of that previous year.
  The TRA, which continues to be the guide of our unofficial relations 
with Taiwan, is an important document for us to consider and to 
reaffirm from time to time and also to reexamine to make sure that we 
understand exactly what it is that controls our relationship with 
Taiwan and, in effect, the relationship between Taiwan and the People's 
Republic of China.
  The TRA established the American Institute in Taiwan, AIT, as a 
nonprofit corporation to implement on behalf of the United States 
Government any and all programs, transactions and other relations with 
Taiwan. In other words, to function as our unofficial embassy in 
Taiwan. The current AIT facilities, which in some cases consists of 
aging quonset huts, are grossly inadequate and were not designed for 
the important functions of AIT. They were built or occupied as 
temporary facilities almost 50 years ago, and are increasingly 
difficult and expensive to maintain.
  From the perspective of security, AIT fails miserably, surrounded by 
taller buildings and lacking adequate setbacks. Major, very cost-
ineffective enhancements would be required to bring it into compliance 
with security requirements. In fact, it is an impossibility, and the 
site is entirely inappropriate for our new construction for the AIT.
  Because of our unique relationship with Taiwan, characterized by the 
agreement itself, the State Department is not able, under routine 
authority, to proceed with the planning and the construction of a new 
facility for AIT. The Congress must specifically authorize and 
appropriate the necessary funds. While AIT has made a good faith effort 
to set aside funds for the construction of a new office building 
complex, these funds, while very significant, will never be sufficient 
for even a modest complex that is sufficient and secure enough to meet 
AIT's needs.
  H.R. 3707, which this Member introduced, has bipartisan support. 
Although only recently introduced, the resolution is cosponsored by the 
distinguished ranking member of the committee, the gentleman from 
Connecticut (Mr. Gejdenson), as well as other distinguished members of 
the committee, including the gentleman from California (Mr. Lantos), 
the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Smith), the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. 
Brown), and the gentleman from California (Mr. Rohrabacher). The bill 
authorizes the appropriation of $75 million for planning acquisition 
and construction of a new facility for AIT.
  Over 20 years after the enactment of the Taiwan Relations Act, our 
unofficial relations with the people of Taiwan are stronger, more 
robust, and more important than ever. In order to reflect the 
importance of these relations, as well as for very practical reasons of 
efficient and secure operations, the Congress needs to act now to 
authorize the lengthy effort to upgrade our diplomatic facilities on 
Taiwan.
  Mr. Speaker, recently, as is apparent to all, we have been seized 
with issues involving our relationship with Taiwan and China. Today, 
relatedly, we just considered another resolution, House Concurrent 
Resolution 292, that once again congratulates the people of Taiwan on 
the success of their historic democratic elections. We have also been 
concerned by the bellicose rhetoric from Beijing that once again 
preceded the Taiwanese presidential election. The House also recently 
passed a properly amended version of the Taiwan Security Enhancement 
Act, while at the same time we are preparing for the upcoming debate on 
granting permanent normal trade relations for China as a part of the 
country's accession to the WTO.
  In view of all these developments, now is the appropriate time to 
send another signal of our unshakable, long-term commitment to our 
critically important relations with Taiwan. We are there in Taipei with 
the citizens of Taiwan for as long as it takes to assure that any 
reunification with the mainland is voluntary and as a result of 
peaceful means. In the judgment of this Member, the Congress should and 
will work with the administration to approve permanent normal trade 
relations with the People's Republic of China, the PRC, as part of our 
support for its accession to the World Trade Organization, just as we 
support and will lead in the near simultaneity of Taiwan's accession to 
the WTO, a long-justified accession to the WTO that has been too long 
delayed.
  We will support the accession of the PRC to the WTO because it is in 
our clear national interest to do so. At the same time, it is very 
important that we make it crystal clear to the PRC and the world that 
we are calmly but resolutely standing at the side of Taiwan, providing 
for the sale of necessary defensive weapons to it for its defense 
against any hostile or coercive action to force its reunification with 
the PRC through any process that is not a peaceful noncoercive one.
  We are, by our recent actions regarding Taiwan making our continued 
positive, supportive, TRA-driven relationship with Taiwan unambiguous. 
We are proceeding in a two-track Taiwan-PRC policy; resolutely, 
unflinchingly, and

[[Page H1437]]

unabashedly standing by Taiwan's side while demonstrating our 
willingness to engage with the PRC in a variety of ways when it is in 
our national interest to do so and when it is consistent with our 
region-stabilizing role to do so. We have benign motives for our great 
and many interests in Asia, but as a superpower, we will act like one 
and defend our national interest in the region and support all of our 
loyal allies.
  Mr. Speaker, this Member urges his colleagues to join him in 
supporting the American Institute in Taiwan Facilities Enhancement Act.
  Mr. BROWN of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 3707. I thank my friend, the 
gentleman from New York (Mr. Gilman) and the gentleman from Nebraska 
(Mr. Bereuter) for their good work on this legislation.
  The recent election of President Chen was a monumental event in 
Taiwan's history. The peaceful transfer of power will stand as a model 
for all other nations struggling for the Democratic ideals that our 
Nation holds so dear. Under threats of violence from the People's 
Republic of China, the people of Taiwan demonstrated their desire to 
elect the candidate with the ability and the vision to lead them into 
the 21st century.
  The United States must recognize its responsibility to assist the 
Taiwanese leadership in establishing a peaceful Taiwan. Any resolution 
to the dispute between China and Taiwan will be through peaceful 
negotiation with the ascent of the Taiwanese people.
  Assisting Taiwan in their pursuit of a Democratic future, we must 
provide the American Institute in Taiwan with the necessary resources 
to perform all of their functions properly. The allocation of funds for 
planning, for acquisition, and for construction for a new facility is a 
clear gesture of the U.S.'s long-term commitment to the people of 
Taiwan.
  The American Institute in Taiwan plays a valued role in U.S.A.-Taiwan 
relations. For more than 20 years, the AIT has implemented all programs 
and transactions for the United States Government in Taipei. But the 
current conditions of the AIT's facilities are undoubtedly inadequate. 
Built as temporary structures some 50 years ago, the cost of 
maintenance and repair are becoming increasingly more expensive. The 
facilities also have virtually no setback, and steps to meet security 
standards are not cost effective.
  The AIT needs a modern and effective base of operations to perform 
its duties in these historical times. I urge my colleagues to support 
this measure.
  Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I wish to commend my distinguished colleague 
and friend from Nebraska, the Chairman of the Subcommittee on Asia of 
our International Relations Committee, Mr. Bereuter, for his leadership 
in introducing H.R. 3707, the American Institute in Taiwan Facilities 
Enhancement Act.
  Under the provisions of the Taiwan Relations Act, the American 
Institute in Taiwan (AID) is the unofficial entity through which we 
maintain our unofficial relationship with Taiwan. For the past twenty 
years, the AIT has served us well. I want to commend the individuals 
who have played such an important role in the activities of the AIT. In 
particular, I want to express appreciation for the current head of AIT, 
Richard Bush, who is a former outstanding member of the staff of the 
Subcommittee on Asia of the House International Relations Committee.
  Mr. Speaker, as several of my colleagues have already emphasized, the 
current AIT facilities in Taipei are grossly inadequate. They were not 
designed for the important functions which AIT performs. They are old, 
having been built over 50 years ago, and the facilities are 
increasingly difficult and expensive to maintain. Furthermore, 
authorities in Taiwan want back the land on which they are located.
  From a security perspective, the facility is even more seriously 
inadequate. Following the bombings of our nation's embassies in Nairobi 
and Dar es Salaam, the concern for the security of all American 
facilities has increased. The AIT buildings in Taipei are dangerously 
inadequate. There is virtually no setback, and major security 
enhancements would be necessary to bring the facilities into compliance 
with current security standards. The legislation we are considering 
today requires that the new facility meet the embassy security 
standards set forth in the Omnibus Diplomatic Security and 
Antiterrorism Act of 1986 (commonly referred to as the Inman Standards) 
and the Security Embassy Construction and Counter Terrorism Act of 
1999.
  The Congress has already recognized the need to improve AIT's 
facilities, and the FY 2000 appropriations legislation included $5 
million for the design of a new facility. AIT staff, using standard 
cost factors unofficially provided by the State Department, have 
estimated that constructing a new facility would cost in the range of 
$80 to $100 million. This estimate is in line with recent construction 
costs of new embassy facilities, such as our Embassy in Nairobi. The 
staff of AIT has made a good faith effort and has set aside funds for 
capital construction, managing to accrue approximately $25 million thus 
far. Therefore, an authorization of $75 million, plus the $25 million 
AIT already has on hand, should be sufficient to cover construction 
costs.
  Mr. Speaker, United States relations with Taiwan are extremely 
important, and it is critical that AIT have an appropriate facility in 
Taipei. We must also protect the safety of those Americans and 
Taiwanese who work or conduct business at AIT in Taipei. This 
legislation represents a reasonable and responsible effort to deal with 
the inadequate facilities currently in use. I urge my colleagues to 
support this important piece of legislation.
  Mr. BROWN of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, 
and I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I 
yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from New York (Mr. Gilman) that the House suspend the rules 
and pass the bill, H.R. 3707, as amended.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds having voted in favor 
thereof) the rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
  The title of the bill was amended so as to read: ``A bill to 
authorize funds for the construction of a facility in Taipei, Taiwan 
suitable for the mission of the American Institute in Taiwan.''
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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