[Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 103 (Thursday, June 18, 2026)]
[Senate]
[Pages S2961-S2962]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
SA 5865. Mr. MERKLEY (for himself and Mr. Cruz) submitted an
amendment intended to be proposed by him to the bill S. 4784, to
authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2027 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, insert the following:
Subtitle F--Blue Skies for Taiwan Act of 2026
SEC. 1281. SHORT TITLE.
This subtitle may be cited as the ``Blue Skies for Taiwan
Act of 2026''.
SEC. 1282. DEFINITIONS.
In this subtitle:
(1) Appropriate congressional committees.--The term
``appropriate congressional committees'' means--
(A) the Committee on Foreign Relations, the Committee on
Armed Services, the Committee on the Budget, and the
Committee on Appropriations of the Senate; and
(B) the Committee on Foreign Affairs, the Committee on
Armed Services, the Committee on the Budget, and the
Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives.
(2) Blue uas.--The term ``Blue UAS'' refers to UAS
components and systems that comply with Defense Contract
Management Agency's Blue UAS program and its associated list.
SEC. 1283. FINDINGS.
Congress makes the following findings:
(1) Taiwan is a longstanding and vital democratic partner
whose security is central to United States strategic
interests and regional stability in the Indo-Pacific region.
(2) The People's Republic of China (PRC) is increasingly
employing gray-zone tactics, including routine use of
unmanned aerial systems and other low-cost platforms, to
pressure Taiwan and undermine its security.
(3) As set forth in the Taiwan Relations Act of 1979
(Public Law 96-8), it is United States policy to maintain its
capacity to resist any resort to force or other forms of
coercion against Taiwan and provide Taiwan with arms of a
defensive nature.
(4) As set forth in the Taiwan Enhanced Resilience Act
(subtitle A of title XII of Public Law 117-263), it is the
sense of Congress that the United States should support
Taiwan's acquisition and employment of capabilities that
advance asymmetric strategies.
(5) The vast majority of commercially available UAS contain
PRC-sourced components, creating significant cybersecurity,
supply chain, and operational risks for both Taiwan and the
United States.
(6) Taiwan is well-positioned to develop and produce UAS
components and systems but faces challenges in competing with
PRC commercial companies, accessing capital, and meeting
United States certification and cybersecurity requirements.
(7) The United States should support UAS supply chain
development in Taiwan to strengthen Taiwan's asymmetric
defense posture and expand United States access to secure,
PRC-independent UAS components and systems.
(8) The Army Organic Industrial Base, including its
arsenals, depots, and ammunition plants, is undergoing
modernization to support emerging technologies and may
provide opportunities to support the testing and sustainment
of unmanned aerial systems and related components in
coordination with allies and partners.
SEC. 1284. BLUE UAS WORKING GROUP.
(a) Establishment.--Not later than 180 days after the date
of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State, in
coordination with the Secretary of Defense, shall establish a
Blue UAS working group, leveraging existing workstreams and
expanding scope as needed, inclusive of government, industry,
and academic experts, to--
(1) assess Taiwan's domestic drone production capacity,
including research and development, legal and regulatory
frameworks, testing, certification, and production capacities
for dual-use drones;
(2) evaluate opportunities for public-private partnerships
between the United States and Taiwan for co-development and
co-production of UAS systems and components, including pilot
programs;
(3) identify barriers to the inclusion of Taiwan-
manufactured components and systems manufactured in Blue UAS
programs;
(4) identify regulatory, export-control, and certification
barriers that impede Taiwan's participation in Blue UAS
programs;
(5) provide recommendations to expand and improve
incorporation of Taiwanese suppliers into Blue UAS programs;
(6) identify specific UAS components or systems that could
be integrated into Blue UAS programs within 12 to 24 months;
(7) analyze opportunities and impediments to include Taiwan
in the Defense Autonomous Warfare Group and similar
initiatives;
(8) assess opportunities for collaboration with the Army
Organic Industrial Base, including its arsenals, depots, and
ammunition plants, to support the testing, evaluation,
production, maintenance, and sustainment of Blue UAS
components and systems, including those co-developed or co-
produced with Taiwan; and
(9) institute lessons learned from the war in Ukraine, in
consultation with the United States European Command (EUCOM)
and Ukrainian officials.
(b) Reporting.--Not later than one year after the date of
the enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter for three
years, the Working Group shall submit to the appropriate
congressional committees an unclassified report on its
activities, including findings, recommendations, timelines,
resource needs, and potential funding mechanisms, with a
classified appendix as necessary.
SEC. 1285. COOPERATIVE FRAMEWORK WITH ALLIES.
(a) In General.--The Secretary of State, in coordination
with the Secretary of Defense, shall establish a cooperative
framework, drawing on the Partnership for Indo-Pacific
Industrial Resilience (PIPIR), among the United States,
Taiwan, and regional allies and global partners to promote
secure, PRC-independent UAS supply chains and enhance
interoperability.
(b) Elements.--The cooperative framework shall include--
(1) support regional allies in the acquisition of Blue UAS
components or systems from Taiwan in lieu of PRC-sourced
components; and
(2) fast-track Blue UAS certification for components co-
developed or co-produced by Taiwan and regional allies.
[[Page S2962]]
SEC. 1286. FAST-TRACK CERTIFICATION.
(a) In General.--The Secretary of State, in coordination
with the Secretary of Defense, shall develop a fast-track
process for Blue UAS companies in Taiwan to obtain Blue UAS
certification.
(b) Elements.--The fast-track certification process shall
include the following procedures:
(1) Expedited export control reviews and licensing for
Taiwan drone and drone component manufacturers, including
streamlined technical reviews for components with no PRC-
connected subcomponents.
(2) A fast-track certification procedure for Taiwanese
manufacturers, including reciprocal testing arrangements or
recognition of equivalent Taiwan cybersecurity standards
where appropriate.
SEC. 1287. RULES OF CONSTRUCTION.
Nothing in this subtitle shall be construed--
(1) to alter United States policy towards Taiwan as
codified in the Taiwan Relations Act of 1979 (Public Law 96-
8);
(2) to alter the United States commitment to the One China
Policy, including commitments made in the Three United
States-China Communiques and the Six Assurances to Taiwan; or
(3) to alter the United States Government's position with
respect to the international status of Taiwan.
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