[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 121 (Thursday, July 25, 2024)]
[Senate]
[Page S5523]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
SA 3178. Mr. RICKETTS submitted an amendment intended to be proposed
by him to the bill S. 4638, to authorize appropriations for fiscal year
2025 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:
At the end of subtitle D of title XII, add the following:
SEC. 1266. IMPROVING MULTILATERAL COOPERATION TO IMPROVE THE
SECURITY OF TAIWAN.
(a) Short Titles.--This section may be cited as the
``Building Options for the Lasting Security of Taiwan through
European Resolve Act'' or the ``BOLSTER Act''.
(b) Consultations With European Governments Regarding
Sanctions Against the PRC Under Certain Circumstances.--The
head of the Office of Sanctions Coordination at the
Department of State, in consultation with the Director of the
Office of Foreign Assets Control at the Department of the
Treasury, shall engage in regular consultations with the
International Special Envoy for the Implementation of
European Union Sanctions and appropriate government officials
of European countries, including the United Kingdom, to
develop coordinated plans and share information on
independent plans to impose sanctions and other economic
measures against the PRC, as appropriate, if the PRC is found
to be involved in--
(1) overthrowing or dismantling the governing institutions
in Taiwan;
(2) occupying any territory controlled or administered by
Taiwan as of the date of the enactment of this Act;
(3) taking significant action against Taiwan, including--
(A) creating a naval blockade or other quarantine of
Taiwan;
(B) seizing the outer lying islands of Taiwan; or
(C) initiating a cyberattack that threatens civilian or
military infrastructure in Taiwan; or
(4) providing assistance that helps the security forces of
the Russian Federation in executing Russia's unprovoked,
illegal war against Ukraine.
(c) Report on the Economic Impacts of PRC Military Action
Against Taiwan.--Not later than 1 year after the date of the
enactment of this Act, the President shall submit a report to
the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate and the
Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives
that contains an independent assessment of the expected
economic impact of--
(1) a 30-day blockade or quarantine of Taiwan by the PLA;
and
(2) a 180-day blockade or quarantine of Taiwan by the PLA.
(d) Sense of Congress Regarding Consultations With the
European Union and European Governments Regarding Increasing
Political and Economic Relations With Taiwan.--It is the
sense of Congress that--
(1) the United States, Europe, and Taiwan are like-minded
partners that--
(A) share common values, such as democracy, the rule of law
and human rights; and
(B) enjoy a close trade and economic partnership;
(2) bolstering political, economic, and people-to-people
relations with Taiwan would benefit the European Union,
individual European countries, and the United States;
(3) the European Union can play an important role in
helping Taiwan resist the economic coercion of the PRC by
negotiating with Taiwan regarding new economic, commercial,
and investment agreements;
(4) the United States and European countries should
coordinate and increase diplomatic efforts to facilitate
Taiwan's meaningful participation in international
organizations;
(5) the United States and European countries should--
(A) publicly and repeatedly emphasize the differences
between their respective ``One China'' policies and the PRC's
``One China'' principle;
(B) counter the PRC's propaganda and false narratives about
United Nations General Assembly Resolution 2758 (XXVI), which
claim the resolution recognizes PRC territorial claims to
Taiwan;
(C) increase public statements of support for Taiwan's
democracy and its meaningful participation in international
organizations;
(D) facilitate unofficial diplomatic visits to and from
Taiwan by high-ranking government officials and
parliamentarians;
(E) establish parliamentary caucuses or groups that promote
strong relations with Taiwan;
(F) strengthen subnational diplomacy, including diplomatic
and trade-related visits to and from Taiwan by local
government officials;
(G) strengthen coordination between United States and
European business chambers, universities, think tanks, and
other civil society groups with similar groups in Taiwan;
(H) promote direct flights to and from Taiwan;
(I) facilitate visits by civil society leaders to Taiwan;
and
(J) increase economic engagement and trade relations; and
(6) Taiwan's inclusion in the U.S.-EU Trade and Technology
Council's Secure Supply Chain working group would bring
valuable expertise and enhance transatlantic cooperation in
the semiconductor sector.
(e) Sense of Congress Regarding Consultations With European
Governments on Supporting Taiwan's Self-defense.--It is the
sense of Congress that--
(1) preserving peace and security in the Taiwan Strait is a
shared interest of the United States and Europe;
(2) European countries, particularly countries with
experience combating Russian aggression and malign
activities, can provide Taiwan with lessons learned from
their ``total defense'' programs to mobilize the military and
civilians in a time of crisis;
(3) the United States and Europe should increase
coordination to strengthen Taiwan's cybersecurity, especially
for critical infrastructure and network defense operations;
(4) the United States and Europe should work with Taiwan--
(A) to improve its energy resiliency;
(B) to strengthen its food security;
(C) to combat misinformation, disinformation, digital
authoritarianism, offensive cyber operations, and foreign
interference;
(D) to provide expertise on how to improve defense
infrastructure;
(E) to increase public statements of support for Taiwan's
security;
(F) to facilitate arms transfers or arms sales,
particularly of weapons consistent with an asymmetric defense
strategy;
(G) to facilitate transfers or sales of dual-use items and
technology;
(H) to facilitate transfers or sales of critical
nonmilitary supplies, such as food and medicine;
(I) to increase the military presence of such countries in
the Indo-Pacific region;
(J) to engage in joint training and military exercises that
may be necessary for Taiwan to maintain credible defense, in
accordance with the Taiwan Relations Act (22 U.S.C. 3301 et
seq.);
(5) European naval powers, in coordination with the United
States, should increase freedom of navigation transits
through the Taiwan Strait; and
(6) European naval powers, the United States, and Taiwan
should establish exchanges and partnerships among their coast
guards to counter coercion by the PRC.
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