[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 52 (Tuesday, May 2, 2000)]
[Senate]
[Page S3270]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




        AMERICAN INSTITUTE IN TAIWAN FACILITIES ENHANCEMENT ACT

  Mr. GORTON. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate 
now proceed to the consideration of Calendar No. 519, H.R. 3707.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the bill by title.
  The assistant legislative clerk read as follows:

       A bill (H.R. 3707) to authorize funds for the construction 
     of a facility in Taipei, Taiwan suitable for the mission of 
     the American Institute in Taiwan.

  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the 
bill, which had been reported from the Committee on Foreign Relations, 
with an amendment to strike all after the enacting clause and insert 
the following:

     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) 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
       (6) because the Congress established AIT and has a strong 
     interest in United States relations with Taiwan, the Congress 
     has a special responsibility to ensure that 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 status of AIT. In making such certification, the 
     Director shall also certify that security considerations 
     permit the exercise of the waiver of such requirements.
       (c) Availability of Funds.--Amounts appropriated pursuant 
     to subsection (a) are authorized to remain available until 
     expended.

  Mr. GORTON. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the committee 
substitute be agreed to, the bill be read a third time and passed, the 
motion to reconsider be laid upon the table, and that any statements 
relating to the bill be printed in the Record.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The committee amendment in the nature of a substitute amendment was 
agreed to.
  The bill (H.R. 3707), as amended, was read the third time and passed.




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