[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 52 (Tuesday, April 24, 2001)]
[House]
[Pages H1503-H1506]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    CONCERNING PARTICIPATION OF TAIWAN IN WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION

  Mr. LEACH. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill 
(H.R. 428) concerning the participation of Taiwan in the World Health 
Organization, as amended.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                                H.R. 428

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. CONCERNING THE PARTICIPATION OF TAIWAN IN THE 
                   WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION (WHO).

       (a) Findings.--The Congress makes the following findings:
       (1) 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.
       (2) Direct and unobstructed participation in international 
     health cooperation forums and programs is therefore crucial 
     for all parts of the world, especially with today's greater 
     potential for the cross-border spread of various infectious 
     diseases such as AIDS.
       (3) Taiwan's population of 23,500,000 people is larger than 
     that of \3/4\ of the member states already in the World 
     Health Organization (WHO).
       (4) 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, and the first to be rid of polio and to provide 
     children with free hepatitis B vaccinations.
       (5) The United States Centers for Disease Control and its 
     Taiwan counterpart agencies have enjoyed close collaboration 
     on a wide range of public health issues.
       (6) In recent years Taiwan has expressed a willingness to 
     assist financially and technically in international aid and 
     health activities supported by the WHO.
       (7) On January 14, 2001, an earthquake, registering between 
     7.6 and 7.9 on the Richter scale, struck El Salvador. In 
     response, the Taiwanese government sent 2 rescue teams, 
     consisting of 90 individuals specializing in firefighting, 
     medicine, and civil engineering. The Taiwanese Ministry of 
     Foreign Affairs also donated $200,000 in relief aid to the 
     Salvadoran Government.
       (8) The World Health Assembly has allowed observers to 
     participate in the activities of the organization, including 
     the Palestine Liberation Organization in 1974, the Order of 
     Malta, and the Holy See in the early 1950's.
       (9) The United States, in the 1994 Taiwan Policy Review, 
     declared its intention to support Taiwan's participation in 
     appropriate international organizations.
       (10) Public Law 106-137 required the Secretary of State to 
     submit a report to the Congress on efforts by the executive 
     branch to support Taiwan's participation in international 
     organizations, in particular the WHO.
       (11) In light of all the benefits that Taiwan's 
     participation in the WHO can bring to the state of health not 
     only in Taiwan, but also regionally and globally, Taiwan and 
     its 23,500,000 people should have appropriate and meaningful 
     participation in the WHO.
       (b) Plan.--The Secretary of State shall initiate a United 
     States plan to endorse and obtain observer status for Taiwan 
     at the annual week-long summit of the World Health Assembly 
     in May 2001 in Geneva, Switzerland, and shall instruct the 
     United States delegation to Geneva to implement that plan.
       (c) Report.--Not later than 14 days after the date of the 
     enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State shall submit a 
     written report to the Congress in unclassified form 
     containing the plan required under subsection (b).

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Iowa (Mr. Leach) and the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Brown) each will 
control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Iowa (Mr. Leach).
  Mr. LEACH. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise to support this legislation which would require 
the administration to initiate a plan to endorse and obtain observer 
status for Taiwan in the World Health Organization during the May 2001 
World Health Assembly meeting in Geneva.
  Mr. Speaker, I would like to congratulate the gentleman from Ohio 
(Mr. Brown) for initiating this resolution. I would like to stress that 
nothing in this bill implies a change in this country's one China 
policy, which has been based for over 30 years on three communiques and 
the Taiwan Relations Act; but care should be taken not to arbitrarily 
exclude the 23 million people of Taiwan from appropriate economic and 
humanitarian venues.
  This legislation recommends a symbolic step underscoring that where 
sovereignty is not in question, Taiwan ought to be brought into as many 
international organizations as possible. It already is a member of the 
Asian Development Bank, as well as APEC. In this context, WHO is a 
constructive

[[Page H1504]]

and thoughtful avenue for international participation by the government 
and people of Taiwan.
  Mr. Speaker, disease and national disasters know no borders. Indeed, 
arguably the greatest international issue in the world today may be 
disease control, whether we are discussing the issue of HIV/AIDS, TB or 
other communicable diseases.
  What the WHO issue symbolizes is a people-oriented concern for 
control of disease. Taiwan should not be excluded from such concern, 
and in fact has stepped forward to provide, in a number of instances, 
assistance and relief in other parts of the world, such as the recent 
earthquake circumstance in El Salvador.
  Let me say this is a very modest step. It is a symbolic step, and it 
is a step towards achievement of observer status in a very appropriate 
humanitarian international organization. Other groups, such as the PLO 
and the Knights of Malta, have observer status at the World Health 
Assembly, and it would be very appropriate that Taiwan should accede to 
the same type of status.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. BROWN of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Iowa (Mr. Leach) for yielding 
me this time and for his leadership and assistance on this issue.
  On May 20 of last year, Chen Shui-bian was sworn in as the President 
of Taiwan. This was a historic event, the first major transfer of power 
from one political party to a rival political party in Chinese or 
Taiwanese history. Mature democracies like ours take such political 
shifts for granted, but the peaceful exchange of power in many regions 
of the world is a rare legacy. Taiwan now shares in it.
  Taiwan has evolved into a stable, prosperous nation governed by the 
rule of law. Taiwan's 40-year journey toward democracy is a success 
story, one which we should celebrate, one which we should acknowledge, 
and we should reward that process.
  Mr. Speaker, to that end I introduced H.R. 428 requiring the State 
Department to initiate a plan to endorse and obtain observer status for 
Taiwan in this year's World Health Assembly. Ninety-two colleagues have 
joined in cosponsoring this bill. Fostering Taiwan's participation in 
the World Health Assembly is a modest step, but a meaningful one. 
Observer status in the World Health Organization does not require 
statehood. As the gentleman from Iowa (Mr. Leach) said, the Knights of 
Malta, the Palestinian Liberal Organization, the Vatican, and Rotary 
International all share observer status at the WHO.
  Mr. Speaker, passing this bill will be a significant victory for 
every Taiwanese citizen, and for every American who cares about human 
rights. Children and families suffer from the effects of inadequate 
health care, whether they live in Washington or Geneva or Taipei or 
Beijing. With the high frequency of international travel and the 
increase in international trade, the risk of transmitting infectious 
diseases such as malaria and tuberculosis and AIDS within and across 
national borders is greater than ever.
  Mr. Speaker, 3 years ago Taiwan suffered an outbreak of enterovirus 
71, a potentially fatal disease that causes severe inflammation of 
muscles surrounding the brain, heart and spinal cord. Infants and 
children are particularly vulnerable to this highly contagious virus. 
Unfortunately, the Taiwanese doctors treating this virus did not have 
access to the medical resources because they do not have observer 
status at WHO. By the time the outbreak was under control, 70 Taiwanese 
children had died.
  Mr. Speaker, had Taiwan been permitted to draw on WHO expertise, 
these children might still be alive. The fact that Taiwan remains 
handicapped in its effort to combat global illness is a tragedy. The 
fact that Taiwan remains handicapped in its efforts to save children is 
a crime, in some sense, in which we are all implicated. Our 
government's tacit support for the status quo, our unwillingness to 
fight for Taiwan's participation in the World Health Organization is 
not only shortsighted, it is unjustifiable.
  Infectious diseases do not respect politically driven distinctions or 
politically drawn national borders. Infectious diseases travel. If 
there is TB in Taiwan, there will more likely be TB in the United 
States. If there is AIDS in South Africa, there will be, inevitably be, 
AIDS in Western Europe. Global illnesses are just that: Global. No 
country is immune when one country faces a health crisis.
  This week, the administration decided to sell four KIDD Class 
destroyers to Taiwan, despite threats from China. If our commitment to 
Taiwan is strong enough to justify supporting its military defense, it 
is certainly strong enough to justify supporting access to global 
health resources for Taiwan's 23.5 million people.
  Mr. Speaker, Taiwan is a country with a strong medical community. 
They have good scientific research, have a good public health 
community; and with their participation in WHO, they will contribute to 
the WHO as WHO information contributes to Taiwan.
  Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the strong support that H.R. 428 has 
received from both sides of the aisle, and I look forward to the bill's 
passage today.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. LEACH. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. BROWN of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman 
from Arkansas (Mr. Snyder), who is a physician and has practiced 
medicine around the world.
  Mr. SNYDER. Mr. Speaker, I support this resolution, and agree with 
the intent of the sponsors in bringing it forward today.
  As a family doctor who has worked in medicine in several different 
nations, including Africa and Asia, I know that health problems and 
disease do not wait for political divisions to be solved or for 
political problems to be overcome. Ten days ago during this recess, I 
visited Sierra Leone and Guinea. I had worked in Sierra Leone for 6 
months in 1983 and 1984. For the last 10 years, there has been a civil 
war going on in Sierra Leone which is now going across the border into 
Guinea. I was helicoptered to the site of the hospital I worked at 10 
years ago. The hospital had been burned to the ground several years ago 
by the rebels. Some of the villagers that were there told me that there 
were a number of people killed by the RUF, this rebel force, when they 
destroyed the hospital.
  Mr. Speaker, why am I bringing up this issue on this resolution with 
Taiwan; because the rebels in Sierra Leone have been supported by 
Charles Taylor, the leader of Liberia. And Taiwan, unfortunately, 
contrary to every nation in the world, has been developing closer ties 
over this last decade with Charles Taylor in Liberia. The Taiwanese 
government has been very clear it is because Charles Taylor has 
expressed support for Taiwan in their efforts to be included in the 
United Nations.
  Mr. Speaker, while the United States has been supportive of Taiwan, I 
hope that the government of Taiwan will be sensitive to the 
international community's efforts to end support for these rebels in 
Sierra Leone. From press reports, Taiwanese government officials have 
been quoted as praising Charles Taylor for promoting peace and dialogue 
in West Africa. Charles Taylor has not been promoting peace and 
dialogue, he has been promoting violence and a brutal civil war; and I 
encourage our friends in Taiwan to be a part of the international 
community, just like they want to be a part of the WHO and end their 
developing relationship with Charles Taylor.
  Mr. BROWN of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman 
from Illinois (Mr. Davis) who has fought for justice around the world.
  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I take this opportunity to 
actually commend all of those who are sponsors of this bill. As a 
matter of fact, the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Brown) and others have 
understood the tremendous developments that are taking place in Taiwan.
  Mr. Speaker, I recently had the good fortune to be in Taiwan and meet 
with health officials, and they have developed serious movement towards 
high quality health care and health services. As a matter of fact, 
there is much that other countries could, in fact, learn from what they 
have been able to do; and so I would join with those who urge

[[Page H1505]]

that they be provided opportunity to enter into the dialogue at the 
World Health Organization in all of its actions and interactions so 
that not only will they benefit, but so that the rest of the world can 
benefit from what they have learned and what they are doing.
  Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the legislation 
before us, H.R. 428, which calls for Taiwan's participation in the 
World Health Organization (WHO). To facilitate this important goal, the 
measure requires the Secretary of State to undertake efforts to endorse 
and obtain observer status for Taiwan at next month's summit meeting in 
Geneva of the World Health Assembly, and for the Secretary to submit 
the plan of action to Congress.
  Mr. Speaker, I congratulate the author of the legislation, the 
distinguished gentleman from Ohio, Mr. Sherrod Brown, for his 
leadership on this issue. I further commend the gentleman from 
Illinois, Mr. Hyde, the Chairman of the House International Relations 
Committee, and the Committee's Ranking Democrat, the gentleman from 
California, Mr. Lantos, for bringing this matter to the floor. I am 
proud to join my colleagues as a co-sponsor of this bipartisan 
legislation.
  Mr. Speaker, the World Health Organization (WHO) is the preeminent 
international health organization on the planet. In its charter, the 
WHO sets forth the crucial objective of attaining the highest possible 
level of health for all people, yet today the 23 million citizens of 
Taiwan are still denied appropriate and meaningful participation in the 
international health forums and programs conducted by the WHO. This is 
simply wrong and inexcusable, Mr. Speaker, and Congress has spoken out 
in the past that this should be corrected.
  Access to the World Health Organization ensures that the highest 
standards of health information and services are provided, facilitating 
the eradication of disease and improvement of public health worldwide. 
The work of the WHO is particularly crucial today given the tremendous 
volume of international travel, which has heightened the transmission 
of communicable diseases between borders.
  With over 190 participants in the World Health Organization, it is a 
travesty that Taiwan is not permitted to receive WHO benefits, 
especially when you consider Taiwan's 23 million citizens outnumber the 
population of three-fourths of the WHO's member states. This lack of 
access to WHO protections has caused the good people of Taiwan to 
suffer needlessly, such as in 1998 when a deadly, yet preventable, 
virus killed 70 Taiwanese children and infected more than 1,100 others.
  Mr. Speaker, there is no good nor valid reason why Taiwan should be 
denied observer status with the World Health Organization. As a strong 
democracy and one of the world's most robust economies, Taiwan 
rightfully should participate in the health services and medical 
protections offered by the WHO. Conversely, the WHO stands to benefit 
significantly from the financial and technological contributions that 
Taiwan has offered many times in the past.
  Mr. Speaker, I strongly urge our colleagues to adopt this worthy and 
important legislation.
  Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of the initiative 
by the gentleman from Ohio, Mr. Brown, concerning Taiwan's 
participation in the World Health Organization. I comment our 
Distinguished Chairman Mr. Hyde and our ranking Minority Member, Mr. 
Lantos and the Subcommittee Chairmen and Ranking Minority Members of 
the International Operations and Human Rights and East Asia and the 
Pacific for crafting and bringing this resolution to the Floor at this 
time.
  As Secretary Powell noted in testimony before our Committee, there 
should be ways for Taiwan to enjoy the full benefits of participation 
in international organizations without being a member. H.R. 428 only 
calls for the Secretary of State to initiate a U.S. plan to endorse and 
obtain observer status at the World Health Organization (WHO) for 
Taiwan.
  In recent years Taiwan has expressed a willingness to assist 
financially and technically in international aid and health activities 
supported by the WHO, but has not been able to render such assistance 
because Taiwan is not a member of the WHO.
  The WHO has allowed observers to participate in the activities of the 
organization, including the Palestinian Liberation Organization, the 
Knights of Malta, and the Vatican.
  Along with many of my colleagues, I am extremely disappointed that 
Taiwan is not a full member of the UN and all international 
organizations that its democratically led government wishes to join. 
Although this resolution does not absolutely address this concern it is 
nevertheless a first step in addressing the problem that confronts 
Taiwan.
  Accordingly I strongly support H.R. 428.
  Mr. ACKERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 428, a 
bill concerning Taiwan and the World Health Organization (WHO), and 
commend Representative Brown for his work on this issue. H.R. 428 would 
recognize that Taiwan and its 21 million people deserve an appropriate 
role in the WHO.
  There are three things the bill seeks to promote. First, H.R. 428 
puts the U.S. Congress on record, again, as strongly supporting 
Taiwan's request to play a more active role in international 
organizations. This support reflects the results of the 1994 Taiwan 
Policy Review conducted by the Clinton Administration which declared 
its intention to support Taiwan's participation in international 
organizations and to make every effort to make sure that this important 
goal is accomplished.
  Second, this legislation will move Taiwan toward membership in the 
WHO. Such membership could benefit Taiwan tremendously. For example, in 
1998, the WHO was unable to assist Taiwan with an outbreak of a virus 
that killed 70 children and infected 1,100 more. WHO membership could 
have prevented needless deaths and sickness.
  Third, the WHO could benefit enormously from Taiwan's more active 
participation in the WHO. Taiwan has made tremendous achievements in 
the field of health, and the WHO should have full access to Taiwan's 
technical and financial assistance.
  Mr. Speaker, the bill requires the State Department to initiate a 
plan to endorse and obtain observer status for Taiwan at the annual 
summit of the World Health Assembly, next month in Geneva. I believe 
that this is an appropriate step for the United States to take in 
support Taiwan's participation in international organizations.
  I urge my colleagues to support the bill.
  Mr. DeLAY. Mr. Speaker, this bill is a step in the right direction. 
It requires the Secretary of State to endorse and to work to obtain 
observer status for Taiwan in the World Health Organization.
  The 24 million people of Taiwan are building a thriving Democracy.
  It's the policy of the United States to support Taiwan's 
participation in International Organizations.
  To lead the Free World, we must act on our responsibility by standing 
up for democracy and our democratic allies.
  Taiwan is an island of freedom, but it is surrounded by the constant 
threat of Communist oppression from Mainland China.
  Taiwan's participation in world organizations deserves recognition. 
They are one of our largest trading partners and they are a free and 
democratic nation that has recently undertaken a free, peaceful, 
democratic transition of power.
  If we are going to support international organizations, we can't deny 
admission to free, democratic societies, with populations and economies 
that are larger than three quarters of the other participating nations. 
That would be unfair and it would constitute an abdication of American 
leadership.
  Taiwan is a symbol of freedom and opportunity for the billion and a 
half Chinese held captive under communist rule.
  Democracy, and the support for human rights that goes with it, is 
spreading throughout the world--we should reward and encourage it at 
every possible opportunity.
  We should stand by our friends. We should stand up for freedom and 
democracy. We should never waver on matters of fundamental principle. 
And that means we must stand with Taiwan.
  Ms. PELOSI. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 428, which states 
that Taiwan should have appropriate and meaningful participation in the 
World Health Organization (WHO). The legislation also requires the 
State Department to initiate a U.S. plan to endorse and obtain observer 
status for Taiwan at the annual summit of the World Health Assembly in 
May 2001 in Geneva. In particular, I would like to commend 
Representative Sherrod Brown for his leadership on this issue.
  In the 1994 Taiwan Policy Review Act, the U.S. declared its intention 
to support Taiwan's participation in international organizations. We 
should abide by our intentions and support Taiwan's participation at 
the WHO.
  The WHO is an organization dedicated to preventing the spread of 
disease and coordinating efforts on international health work. In a 
time when resources to fight global infectious diseases are scarce, we 
should encourage assistance and coordination from all sources. The 
global efforts to save lives should not take a back seat to China's 
global campaign against Taiwan.
  Taiwan should be able to benefit from and contribute to the work of 
the WHO. As an official observer, Taiwan would assist in preventing the 
spread of global diseases. Taiwan's achievements in health are 
substantial, including high life expectancy levels and low maternal and 
infant mortality rates compared to other developed countries. Taiwan 
could assist both financially and technically in international aid and 
health activities benefiting people all over the world. Unfortunately, 
Taiwan has been unable to render such assistance through the WHO 
because it is not able to participate.

[[Page H1506]]

  Taiwan's WHO entry is clearly being held hostage to the Chinese 
government. Last year, Beijing successfully blocked Taiwan's observer 
status in the World Health Organization. China led nine other nations--
including Cuba and Pakistan in striking down Taiwan's motion ``due to 
international political realities and China's objections.'' It is time 
for the U.S. to honor its commitments and support the right of 21 
million Taiwanese people to assist and benefit from WHO participation.
  Mr. BROWN of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. LEACH. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  I would just like to conclude by again congratulating the gentleman 
from Ohio (Mr. Brown) for this fine resolution.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Iowa (Mr. Leach) that the House suspend the rules and 
pass the bill, H.R. 428, as amended.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds of 
those present have voted in the affirmative.
  Mr. LEACH. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
  The yeas and nays were ordered.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX and the 
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this motion will be 
postponed.

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