[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 132 (Thursday, July 31, 2025)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5100-S5101]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

  SA 3325. Mr. MERKLEY submitted an amendment intended to be proposed 
by him to the bill S. 2296, to authorize appropriations for fiscal year 
2026 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 title XII, add the following:

   Subtitle F--United States - Taiwan Partnership in the Americas Act

     SEC. 1271. SHORT TITLE.

       This subtitle may be cited as the ``United States - Taiwan 
     Partnership in the Americas Act''.

     SEC. 1272. FINDINGS.

       Congress finds the following:
       (1) Taiwan is a democratic partner of the United States, 
     and countries that maintain ties with Taiwan often share our 
     Nation's commitment to transparency, good governance, and 
     human rights.
       (2) The People's Republic of China has pressured Taiwan's 
     remaining 7 diplomatic allies in Latin America and the 
     Caribbean to sever diplomatic relations with Taiwan by 
     leveraging opaque development deals and backroom pressure.
       (3) The United States has an interest in ensuring countries 
     in Latin America and the Caribbean can make sovereign foreign 
     policy decisions free from coercion or financial manipulation 
     by the People's Republic of China.

     SEC. 1273. STATEMENT OF POLICY.

       It is the policy of the United States--
       (1) to support countries in Latin America and the Caribbean 
     that maintain diplomatic relations with Taiwan;
       (2) to counter efforts by the People's Republic of China to 
     coerce or pressure governments in the region into breaking 
     diplomatic ties with Taiwan; and
       (3) to deepen coordination with Taiwan on its development 
     and economic engagement in the Western Hemisphere.

     SEC. 1274. MONITORING THE ECONOMIC INFLUENCE OF THE PEOPLE'S 
                   REPUBLIC OF CHINA.

       (a) Infrastructure Influence Risk Mechanism.--The Secretary 
     of State shall establish a mechanism to track and respond to 
     infrastructure and development projects by the People's 
     Republic of China in countries that maintain diplomatic 
     relations with Taiwan.
       (b) Functions.--The mechanism required under subsection (a) 
     shall--
       (1) identify projects referred to in such subsection that 
     carry strategic risks or involve non-transparent financing;
       (2) coordinate appropriate United States diplomatic or 
     technical responses to such projects; and
       (3) share relevant information with Congress and with 
     United States allies.

     SEC. 1275. REPORTING REQUIREMENTS.

       (a) Semiannual Status Report.--The Secretary of State shall 
     submit semiannual status reports to the Committee on Foreign 
     Relations of the Senate and the Committee on Foreign Affairs 
     of the House of Representatives regarding governments in 
     Latin America that have taken steps to discontinue diplomatic 
     relations with Taiwan.
       (b) Diplomatic Engagement Plan.--If the Secretary of State 
     determines that a government in a country referred to in 
     subsection (a) is taking steps to terminate diplomatic 
     relations with Taiwan, the Secretary, not later than 30 days 
     after such determination, 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 includes a detailed plan to support the maintenance of 
     official diplomatic relations between such government and 
     Taiwan.
       (c) Annual Report.--
       (1) In general.--Not later than 180 days after the date of 
     the enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter for the 
     following 5 years, the Secretary of State 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 includes--
       (A) an assessment of the goals, investments, and interests 
     of the People's Republic of China in Latin America and the 
     Caribbean that maintain diplomatic relations with Taiwan;
       (B) an overview of the pressure tactics and influence 
     campaigns carried out by the People' s Republic of China in 
     countries in Latin America and the Caribbean that maintain 
     diplomatic relations with Taiwan; and
       (C) the actions taken by the Department of State during the 
     most recent 12-month period to implement this Act by--
       (i) supporting Taiwan's diplomatic partners in Latin 
     America and the Caribbean; and

[[Page S5101]]

       (ii) countering the efforts of the People's Republic of 
     China to isolate Taiwan from its Latin American and Caribbean 
     allies.
       (2) Form.--Each report required under paragraph (1) shall 
     be submitted in unclassified form, but may include a 
     classified annex.

     SEC. 1276. TAIWAN-AMERICAS STRATEGIC COORDINATION.

       The Secretary of State should take steps to expand United 
     States coordination with countries in Latin America and the 
     Caribbean with respect to Taiwan by--
       (1) coordinating joint programming and technical 
     cooperation with United States allies;
       (2) aligning public diplomacy efforts; and
       (3) encouraging collaboration between United States 
     embassies and Taiwan's representative offices in Latin 
     America and the Caribbean.
                                 ______