Segal AmeriCorps Education Award Tax Relief Act of 2019

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 353) to direct the Secretary of State to develop a strategy to regain observer status for Taiwan in the World Health Organization, and for other purposes.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H.R. 353, a bill to regain observer status for Taiwan in the World Health Organization, currently under consideration.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I will start by thanking Mr. Yoho for his work on this bill. It passed the House last Congress with broad bipartisan support, and I look forward to seeing that happen again today.

Mr. Speaker, we all know too well that disease knows no borders, so it is in the interest of the United States to address global health challenges. Without the ability to consistently monitor threats and rapidly coordinate responses globally, health and lives will be at risk, including those of Americans.

A critical organization in this global public health effort is the World Health Organization's World Health Assembly. This is a summit meeting of countries coming together to address global health challenges.

China is actively lobbying against Taiwan's inclusion in these summit meetings, part of its larger effort to squeeze Taiwan out of the international community. Beijing may believe this serves its own narrow interests in asserting control over Taiwan, but it is to the detriment of the effort to fight disease wherever it strikes.

This bill before us today is a step to rectify this situation. H.R. 353 enhances reporting requirements, which will provide Congress better insight into our administration's efforts to obtain Taiwan's observer status in the annual World Health Assembly meetings.

We need to make every effort to ensure that China does not strong-arm and manipulate these international meetings, which are important opportunities to make significant progress on health issues facing the global community. This progress should not be jeopardized by Beijing's political agenda.

I support this measure. We should continue to stand with our partners in Taiwan, and this resolution does just that. I urge my colleagues to do the same.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

We have supported a strong U.S.-Taiwan relationship since we passed the Taiwan Relations Act back in 1979. It is critical that we continue to support our close friend and partner, Taiwan, on the world stage and ensure they maintain a seat at the table when discussing global health challenges.

But China sees it differently, in pursuit of its own narrow political agenda. Beijing is jeopardizing international efforts to improve global health and fight transnational disease outbreaks by redoubling efforts to prevent Taiwan from participating in organizations like the World Health Assembly.

Our response to global health challenges and crises is stronger when more countries are involved in the discussion and prevention. After all, diseases go from border to border and across borders. It is ridiculous to try to keep Taiwan out.

Our response to global health challenges is stronger, again, when more countries are involved in prevention.

There is no reason that the international community should accept a scenario where we allow Beijing to compromise global health as they play the bully with respect to their neighbor. That is another reason why Kosovo should be admitted as well.

I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this measure, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this bill to help Taiwan regain observer status in the World Health Organization, introduced by my good friend from Florida (Mr. Yoho).

The House passed this bill unanimously last Congress. Because Taiwan has an especially distinguished record of international contributions to global health, Taiwan's exclusion from the WHO is not just unfair, it is also dangerous.

The world is more and more interconnected, and pandemics are a constantly growing threat that can cross borders at the speed of a jetliner. Unfortunately, President Xi and the Communist Party of China continue to jeopardize global health in their campaign to marginalize Taiwan.

Taiwan has been totally excluded from participating at the WHO's World Health Assembly for 2 years running. Ultimately, Taiwan's expulsion from the WHO illustrates a broader trend. Taiwan is a model democracy that makes the world better, while China is a revisionist authoritarian power that places the world at risk.

This year will be significant for U.S.-Taiwan relations as we look forward to the 40th anniversary of the Taiwan Relations Act.

Xi Jinping just delivered a speech, where he reiterated a willingness to use force against Taiwan, and said: ``The Taiwan issue will disappear with the rejuvenation of the nation.''

I urge my colleagues to start this year on the right foot by supporting Taiwan's WHO participation and telling President Xi that Taiwan will never disappear under our watch.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Chabot), a cosponsor of this bill.

Mr. Speaker, I am prepared to close, and I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, diseases and pandemics know no borders. Taiwan is a critical player in the global health and the internationally connected transportation hub. By excluding Taiwan from participation in the WHO, the Communist Party of China is placing the world at risk because of their own insecurities.

I again thank Mr. Yoho and Chairman Engel for this bill which deserves our unanimous support.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Texas for yielding, and I rise in support of H.R. 353, which would direct the Secretary of State to develop a strategy to regain observer status for Taiwan in the World Health Organization.

I thank Mr. Yoho for his leadership on this important issue, and I thank Mr. Engel as well as my colleague from Texas (Mr. McCaul) for this as well. They have both been leaders on this for a long time.

As a long-time friend of Taiwan and strong supporter of our bilateral relationship, I believe it is essential that they be allowed to participate in the World Health Organization.

Taiwan has been routinely marginalized and barred from participation in multilateral organizations, despite being a model participant in the global community and routinely contributing to global health advancement.

Between 2008 and 2015, Taiwan was invited to participate as an observer at the annual meeting of the World Health Assembly, the governing body of WHO. Unfortunately, in its efforts to isolate President Tsai, China has effectively blocked Taipei from receiving an invitation for the past 3 years by erroneously tying Taiwan's participation to the so-called One China policy.

Beijing is playing politics with not only the health of Taiwan's people, but with the health of the entire international community because, as Mr. McCaul mentioned, the health of the world is linked, and so the PRC is essentially putting all our health at risk by being belligerent in this particular area.

This is particularly ridiculous because being an observer of WHA is not limited to countries, and so participation does not imply Taiwanese independence.

Furthermore, Taiwan should be allowed to participate on its own merits. It is a de facto country and should be treated as such, and it would be if it weren't for China's bullying. The sooner the world stops participating in Beijing's fiction that Taiwan is part of China, the better.

I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 353.

Mr. Speaker, many of the members who serve in this chamber, myself included, value the important relationship the United States shares with Taiwan. To this end, The House of Representatives unanimously passed legislation in the 115th Congress similar to the bill that is being debated today. Both bills direct the Secretary of State to develop a strategy to assist Taiwan in regaining observer status at the World Health Organization.

As a cosponsor of H.R. 3320 in the 115th Congress, I commend the gentleman from the great state of Florida for bringing this bill to the floor early in this Congress. Taiwan has been a model member of the global health community, having served as an observer in the World Health Assembly from 2009 until 2016. Taiwan has also contributed in enhancing regional and global disease prevention networks, along with working with other countries to ensure the World Health Organization's vision of health being a fundamental human right is successfully met.

While some outside actors try to prevent Taiwan from contributing to the global health community as an observer at the World Health Organization, it is important for all of us to realize that the best way to address the challenges of today and tomorrow with regards to global health is to work together, rather than exclude parties due to geopolitics. Mr. Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to support H.R. 353.