[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.
                                 ______