A bill concerning participation of Taiwan in the World Health Organization.

        [Congressional Bills 108th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 243 Enrolled Bill (ENR)]

S.243

One Hundred Eighth Congress

of the

United States of America

AT THE FIRST SESSION

Begun and held at the City of Washington on Tuesday,
the seventh day of January, two thousand and three

An Act

Concerning participation of Taiwan in the World Health Organization.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. CONCERNING THE PARTICIPATION OF TAIWAN IN THE WORLD HEALTH
ORGANIZATION (WHO).
(a) Findings.--The Congress makes the following findings:
(1) Good health is important to every citizen of the world and
access to the highest standards of health information and services
is necessary to improve the public health.
(2) Direct and unobstructed participation in international
health cooperation forums and programs is beneficial for all parts
of the world, especially with today's greater potential for the
cross-border spread of various infectious diseases such as the
human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), tuberculosis, and malaria.
(3) Taiwan's population of 23,500,000 people is greater than
that of three-fourths of the member states already in the World
Health Organization (WHO).
(4) Taiwan's achievements in the field of health are
substantial, including one of the highest life expectancy levels in
Asia, maternal and infant mortality rates comparable to those of
western countries, the eradication of such infectious diseases as
cholera, smallpox, and the plague, and the first to eradicate polio
and provide children with hepatitis B vaccinations.
(5) The United States Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention and its Taiwan counterpart agencies have enjoyed close
collaboration on a wide range of public health issues.
(6) In recent years Taiwan has expressed a willingness to
assist financially and technically in international aid and health
activities supported by the WHO.
(7) On January 14, 2001, an earthquake, registering between 7.6
and 7.9 on the Richter scale, struck El Salvador. In response, the
Taiwanese Government sent 2 rescue teams, consisting of 90
individuals specializing in firefighting, medicine, and civil
engineering. The Taiwanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs also donated
$200,000 in relief aid to the Salvadoran Government.
(8) The World Health Assembly has allowed observers to
participate in the activities of the organization, including the
Palestine Liberation Organization in 1974, the Order of Malta, and
the Holy See in the early 1950s.
(9) The United States, in the 1994 Taiwan Policy Review,
declared its intention to support Taiwan's participation in
appropriate international organizations.
(10) Public Law 106-137 required the Secretary of State to
submit a report to the Congress on efforts by the executive branch
to support Taiwan's participation in international organizations,
in particular the WHO.
(11) In light of all benefits that Taiwan's participation in
the WHO can bring to the state of health not only in Taiwan, but
also regionally and globally, Taiwan and its 23,500,000 people
should have appropriate and meaningful participation in the WHO.
(12) On May 11, 2001, President Bush stated in his letter to
Senator Murkowski that the United States ``should find
opportunities for Taiwan's voice to be heard in international
organizations in order to make a contribution, even if membership
is not possible'', further stating that his Administration ``has
focused on finding concrete ways for Taiwan to benefit and
contribute to the WHO''.
(13) In his speech made in the World Medical Association on May
14, 2002, Secretary of Health and Human Services Tommy Thompson
announced ``America's work for a healthy world cuts across
political lines. That is why my government supports Taiwan's
efforts to gain observership status at the World Health Assembly.
We know this is a controversial issue, but we do not shrink from
taking a public stance on it. The people of Taiwan deserve the same
level of public health as citizens of every nation on earth, and we
support them in their efforts to achieve it''.
(14) The Government of the Republic of China on Taiwan, in
response to an appeal from the United Nations and the United States
for resources to control the spread of HIV/AIDS, donated $1,000,000
to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria in
December 2002.
(b) Plan.--The Secretary of State is authorized--
(1) to initiate a United States plan to endorse and obtain
observer status for Taiwan at the annual week-long summit of the
World Health Assembly in May 2003 in Geneva, Switzerland; and
(2) to instruct the United States delegation to Geneva to
implement that plan.
(c) Report.--Not later than 14 days after the date of the enactment
of this Act, the Secretary of State shall submit a report to Congress
in unclassified form describing the action taken under subsection (b).

Speaker of the House of Representatives.

Vice President of the United States and
President of the Senate.