[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 163 (Tuesday, November 3, 2015)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1577]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




     PARTICIPATION OF TAIWAN IN THE INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL POLICE 
                              ORGANIZATION

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                        HON. SHEILA JACKSON LEE

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                        Monday, November 2, 2015

  Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, I stand in strong support of H.R. 1853, 
directing the President to develop a strategy to obtain observer status 
for Taiwan in the International Criminal Police Organization 
(INTERPOL).
  As the Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, 
Homeland Security, and Investigations, the empowerment of law 
enforcement in order that they be able to carry out their mandate in 
upholding the rule of law and preservation of peace and security are 
imperatives I believe we must continue to seek to facilitate.
  Our world today is fraught with global terrorism, with groups 
utilizing information sharing and technologies to advance their 
vitriolic causes.
  This is why organizing, inclusion and empowerment of nations willing 
to work together to combat domestic and global terrorism is in our 
global and national security interest.
  This measure facilitates the United States' and the global 
community's ability to move swiftly to empower police and law 
enforcement in our collective efforts of coordinating, preempting and 
acting swiftly in unison in combatting terrorism, crisis prevention and 
response.
  I join this bipartisan measure which seeks to facilitate INTERPOL 
member states' efforts to promote Taiwan's ability to bid to obtain 
observer status in the INTERPOL.
  Indeed, since 1964, Taiwan had maintained full membership, but was 
ejected 20 years later when the People's Republic of China (PRC) 
applied for membership.
  Part of what the United States Administration can do is to take the 
lead in endorsing Taiwan in obtaining its observer status.
  The United States has expressed its affirmative intentions in support 
of Taiwan's participation in appropriate international organizations, 
as delineated in the 1994 Taiwan Policy Review.
  For instance, Public Law 108-235 authorized the Secretary of State to 
initiate and implement a plan to endorse and obtain observer status at 
the annual World Health Assembly for six consecutive years, owing to 
Taiwan's significant contribution to the global community's efforts of 
addressing pandemic control and global public health issues of our day.
  Indeed, the INTERPOL's constitution allows observer status at 
meetings by police entities who are not members of the Organization.
  The current status of non-membership status preludes Taiwan from 
gaining access to INTERPOL's I-24/7 global communications systems, an 
important real time information sharing infrastructure on domestic and 
global criminals.
  The current state of affairs relegates Taiwan to hearsay or second 
hand information from friendly nations such as the United States.
  This impedes Taiwan's ability to move swiftly in information 
acquisition as it relates to its domestic and global crime fighting 
efforts.
  As a senior member of the Committee on Homeland Security, global and 
national security is very important to me.
  This measure seeks to protect our security interests in Taiwan as 
well as the global security of the world.
  Taiwan's inaccessibility to critical information readily made 
available to its law enforcement forces places our entire world at 
risk.
  This measure seeks to facilitate Taiwan's direct and unobstructed 
participation in the International Criminal Police which promotes 
global security.
  I support and urge the support of this measure because it is 
beneficial for all nations and their police authorities to be able to 
share information with authorized police authorities in their law 
enforcement and peacekeeping efforts in combatting local and global 
crimes, including the contemporary crime of terrorism.

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