[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 194 (Thursday, November 4, 2021)]
[Senate]
[Page S7983]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

  SA 4480. Mr. ROMNEY submitted an amendment intended to be proposed to 
amendment SA 3867 submitted by Mr. Reed and intended to be proposed to 
the bill H.R. 4350, to authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2022 
for military activities of the Department of Defense, for military 
construction, and for defense activities of the Department of Energy, 
to prescribe military personnel strengths for such fiscal year, and for 
other purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

        Strike section 1245 and insert the following:

     SEC. 1245. ASSESSMENT OF AND PLAN FOR IMPROVING THE DEFENSIVE 
                   ASYMMETRIC CAPABILITIES OF TAIWAN.

       (a) Assessment.--
       (1) In general.--The Secretary of Defense, in coordination 
     with the heads of other relevant Federal departments and 
     agencies, shall conduct an assessment of the defensive 
     asymmetric capabilities of Taiwan.
       (2) Elements.--The assessment required by paragraph (1) 
     shall include the following:
       (A) An assessment of the current defensive asymmetric 
     capabilities of Taiwan and the ability of Taiwan to defend 
     itself from external conventional military threats, which 
     shall include--
       (i) a description and assessment of the current defensive 
     asymmetric capabilities of Taiwan; and
       (ii) a description of the defensive asymmetric capabilities 
     necessary for Taiwan to successfully alter scenarios and 
     likely outcomes with respect to a possible use of force by 
     the People's Republic of China against Taiwan, including the 
     estimated cost of such capabilities.
       (B) An assessment of each of the following:
       (i) The applicability of Department of Defense authorities 
     for improving the defensive asymmetric capabilities of Taiwan 
     in accordance with the Taiwan Relations Act (Public Law 96-8; 
     22 U.S.C. 3301 et seq.).
       (ii) The options available to the Department to support the 
     defense budgeting and procurement process of Taiwan in a 
     manner that facilitates sustained investment in capabilities 
     aligned with the asymmetric defense strategy of Taiwan.
       (iii) The feasibility and advisability, including the 
     estimated costs, of additional policy options to support the 
     enhancement of the defensive asymmetric capabilities of 
     Taiwan, including--

       (I) assisting Taiwan in the domestic production of 
     defensive asymmetric capabilities, including through the 
     transfer of intellectual property, co-development, or co-
     production arrangements; and
       (II) establishing a permanent fund to support regular 
     investment by Taiwan in defensive asymmetric capabilities.

       (iv) The plans, tactics, techniques, and procedures 
     underpinning the defensive asymmetric capabilities of Taiwan.
       (v) The interoperability of current and future defensive 
     asymmetric capabilities of Taiwan with the military 
     capabilities of the United States and its allies and 
     partners.
       (vi) Any other matter the Secretary considers appropriate.
       (b) Plan.--The Secretary shall develop a plan for assisting 
     Taiwan in improving its defensive asymmetric capabilities 
     that includes--
       (1) recommendations for new Department authorities, or 
     modifications to existing Department authorities, necessary 
     to improve the defensive asymmetric capabilities of Taiwan in 
     accordance with the Taiwan Relations Act (Public Law 96-8; 22 
     U.S.C. 3301 et seq.);
       (2) an identification of opportunities--
       (A) for key leader and subject matter expert engagement 
     between Department personnel and military and civilian 
     counterparts in Taiwan; and
       (B) to provide necessary support for the successful 
     deployment of defensive asymmetric capabilities by Taiwan, 
     including through appropriate training; and
       (3) an identification of challenges and opportunities for 
     leveraging non-Department authorities, resources, and 
     capabilities to improve the defensive asymmetric capabilities 
     of Taiwan in accordance with the Taiwan Relations Act (Public 
     Law 96-8; 22 U.S.C. 3301 et seq.).
       (c) Report.--Not later than 180 days after the date of the 
     enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall submit 
     to the appropriate committees of Congress--
       (1) a report on the results of the assessment required by 
     subsection (a); and
       (2) the plan required by subsection (b).
       (d) Definitions.--In this section:
       (1) Appropriate committees of congress.--The term 
     ``appropriate committees of Congress'' means--
       (A) the Committee on Armed Services, the Committee on 
     Foreign Relations, and the Select Committee on Intelligence 
     of the Senate; and
       (B) the Committee on Armed Services, the Committee on 
     Foreign Affairs, and the Permanent Select Committee on 
     Intelligence of the House of Representatives.
       (2) Defensive asymmetric capabilities.--The term 
     ``defensive asymmetric capabilities'' means the capabilities 
     necessary to defend Taiwan against conventional external 
     threats, including coastal defense missiles, naval mines, 
     anti-aircraft capabilities, cyber defenses, and special 
     operations forces.
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