[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 74 (Monday, May 7, 2007)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E972]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




            TAIWAN APPLIES TO THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. G.K. BUTTERFIELD

                           of north carolina

                    in the house of representatives

                          Monday, May 7, 2007

  Mr. BUTTERFIELD. Madam Speaker, as the World Health Assembly prepares 
to meet in Geneva this May, Taiwan is applying to the World Health 
Organization as a member under the name ``Taiwan.''
  For years, Taiwan has been excluded from the activities of the World 
Health Organization; thus the health rights of the 23 million Taiwan 
people have not been represented. Taiwan paid high prices for the 
enterovirus outbreak in 1998 and SARS in 2003; Taiwan should not be 
left out of the global disease prevention network.
  The United States government has always encouraged Taiwan to seek 
meaningful participation in international organizations and if Taiwan 
were barred from World Health Organization activities, opportunities 
for Taiwan's government and people to make contributions to world 
health affairs would be severely impeded.
  I therefore urge my colleagues to speak up for Taiwan's right to 
participate in the activities of the World Health Organization. 
Fighting disease is a worldwide issue; no country or people should be 
excluded from WHO's activities due to political considerations.

                          ____________________