A bill 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 move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (S. 812) 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 may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on S. 812.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of S. 812, a bill 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.

S. 812 will help support Taiwan's effort to gain observer status at the World Health Assembly, the decisionmaking body of the World Health Organization.

Since the end of 2019, the unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic has reminded the global community of the importance of international cooperation and collaboration on global health.

Taiwan has been a leader on global health. While the People's Republic of China was actively censoring public discussion of and silencing doctors about the effects and outbreak of the virus in China itself, Taiwan was saving lives globally with its early detection and dissemination of information about the virus.

Despite its proximity to the original outbreak in China, Taiwan employed a strategy of social distancing, border controls, mask mandates, quarantine,

and contact tracing so that it succeeded in suppressing widespread transmission. Incredibly, with a population of 23.5 million, Taiwan experienced roughly 37,000 confirmed COVID-19 cases and fewer than 900 deaths. That is a tremendous feat compared to everybody else.

Taiwan was not only able to use its knowledge to effectively respond to the COVID-19 pandemic within its own borders, but it shared its expertise and medical supplies when the world badly needed it most. Taiwan donated millions of masks and PPE to many countries around the world, including here in the United States.

These actions symbolize Taiwan's leadership and contributions to global health security and demonstrate why it ought to be part of the global conversation on public health. Unfortunately, China has tried to limit and constrain Taiwan's meaningful participation in all international organizations, including pressuring the WHO to strip Taiwan of its observer status in the WHA in 2017. As the co-chair of the Taiwan Caucus, I can tell you that makes no sense.

This bipartisan measure would support efforts that enable Taiwan to share its public health expertise and experience with the world at times when we need it badly.

Led by Senator Menendez, this legislation has already passed the Senate. The House Foreign Affairs Committee was proud to pass out of committee a near-identical bipartisan measure led by Representative Young Kim of California.

Passage of this bill today, ahead of the World Health Assembly meeting next month, would not only be timely; it would also demonstrate the strong bipartisan, bicameral commitment the U.S. Congress has to our democratic friend Taiwan.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to adopt this resolution, and I reserve the balance of my time.

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

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time for the purpose of closing.

Why is this bill important at this time, Mr. Speaker? It is important because an authoritarian, delusional autocrat in Moscow is wreaking havoc and inflicting death on the ground and from the skies on an innocent people seeking freedom in Ukraine.

It is important that other autocrats and authoritarian regimes understand that they will pay a heavy price for such behavior, that we will not resolve disputes that way in the 21st century, and that the consequences will be severe.

Isolating Taiwan is part of a policy to intimidate, threaten, and assault democracy on the island of Taiwan. We can't be a party to that.

Taiwan has a voice. Taiwan has expertise. It can contribute in a pandemic, and it should not be silenced because of somebody's political agenda. That is what this bill is about. That is why this Congress should speak with one voice and support this important piece of legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I urge its passage, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of S. 812, a bill to direct the Secretary of State to develop a strategy to regain observer status for Taiwan in the World Health Organization (WHO), and for other purposes.

This bill directs the Department of State to include additional information in its annual reports concerning Taiwan's participation at the WHO's World Health Assembly (WHA) as an observer.

The report shall describe changes and improvements to the State Department's plan to support Taiwan's observer status at the WHA, following any meetings at which Taiwan did not participate under such status.

The measure also directs the Secretary of State to establish a strategy for obtaining observer status at the WHA, the decision-making body of the WHO.

Taiwan is excluded from most global organizations such as the WHO, the U.N. health agency, because of the objections of China, which considers the island one of its provinces and not a separate country.

Taiwan cannot be excluded from the global health body because as we have seen, infectious viruses like the COVID-19 pandemic, have the ability to transcend all borders.

Taiwan has contributed more than $6 billion in international medical and humanitarian aid efforts to over 80 countries since 1996 and donated millions of personal protective and testing equipment during the COVID-19 crises.

After successfully suppressing the spread of COVID within its borders, Taiwan also generously donated millions of pieces of personal protective equipment and testing reagents to countries in need.

Taiwan is an important partner to the United States, and we must assist their effort to participate at the W.H.O.

Taiwan's absence from the World Health Assembly over the last several years may negatively impact us all, since public health is safeguarded when everyone is engaged.

In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic it is now more important than ever for all nations to come together and share information regarding public health.

I ask my colleagues to join me in voting for S. 812 because the U.S. should support Taiwan's involvement with the international community on all matters regarding public health.

These efforts will benefit global public health, and potentially save many lives.

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

I rise in support of S. 812, directing the Secretary of State to develop a strategy to regain observer status for Taiwan in the World Health Organization.

This bill has passed the House in each of the last three Congresses, so I am glad the two Chambers have finally come together to send this bill to the President's desk before the World Health Assembly next month.

I thank Representative Young Kim for introducing the House version of this bill early last year and former Representative Ted Yoho for his work on this issue in previous Congresses.

Taiwan is a model contributor to global health, and Taiwan's exclusion from the WHO isn't just unfair; it is dangerous.

The world is still paying the price of the Chinese Communist Party's coverup of the original COVID-19 outbreak in Wuhan. Taiwan's exclusion from the World Health Organization made the situation even worse by depriving the world of Taiwan's early warning.

Unfortunately, Xi Jinping and the CCP are continuing to jeopardize global health by marginalizing Taiwan. The CCP is hijacking the WHO to advance its own political agenda. Taiwan has been totally excluded from participating in the WHO's annual World Health Assembly since 2016.

Despite the CCP's interference, Taiwan is a model democracy that makes the world a better place. The people of Taiwan deserve to participate in the World Health Organization, so I urge my colleagues to support this bill.

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

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from California (Mrs. Kim).

Mr. Speaker, diseases and pandemics know no borders. Taiwan is a critical player in global health, and it is a global transportation hub. In blocking Taiwan from the WHO, the CCP is placing the world at risk to soothe their own insecurities.

Mr. Speaker, I urge all Members to support this legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I support S. 812, which came to us from the Senate, and which calls for the Administration to develop a strategy for Taiwan to regain observer status at the World Health Organization.

As we know, Taiwan stands as a beacon of democracy in Asia--and indeed, an example for much of the world--and offers a stark contrast to the totalitarian model of Xi Jinping across the Taiwan Strait in Mainland China.

As a result, the People's Republic of China has doubled down on its longstanding efforts to delegitimize Taiwan and keep it from participating in international organizations.

As we rediscovered in 2020, however, a deadly virus doesn't play politics, and crosses borders without regard to diplomatic niceties.

To kowtow to Communist China and exclude Taiwan from having even an observer status at the World Health Organization is to play politics with global health.

It is especially galling when one recalls that pernicious misrepresentations were made by the PRC to the World Health Organization at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the warnings sounded by Taiwan as to the true nature and origins of the pandemic were ignored by the WHO.

Mr. Speaker, I also want to note that I, along with my colleague from New Jersey, Jeff Van Drew, also introduced legislation last year, H.R. 1775, to provide for a vehicle for victims of State misrepresentations to the World Health Organization to seek redress using US courts.

I urge my colleagues to support S. 812, and for this Administration to devise and implement the strategy this timely legislation calls for to allow our democratic partner Taiwan to accede to the World Health Organization as an observer.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Representative Meuser for yielding, and I thank Representative Connolly, Chairman Meeks, and Ranking Member McCaul for their leadership on this very important issue.

I rise in strong support of this bipartisan, bicameral effort to help restore Taiwan's observer status at the World Health Organization and World Health Assembly.

I am proud to have introduced the House version of this bill, which has nearly 130 bipartisan cosponsors.

Time and time again, Taiwan has proven to be a trusted ally of the United States and to be a world leader in global health security.

From 2009 until 2017, Taiwan had observer status in the WHO and WHA, but it was revoked due to pressure from the Chinese Government. This bill would direct the Secretary of State to implement a strategy to restore Taiwan's observer status.

I am hopeful that today we can send a united message to the people of Taiwan that we value their input and that giving them a seat at the table benefits all of us.

Support for Taiwan is more important than ever. We all know today that as Russia invades Ukraine, China is eyeing Taiwan. A threat to freedom anywhere is a threat to freedom everywhere.

That is why I urge my colleagues to support this effort and give the people of Taiwan a voice in vital information sharing in the World Health Organization and World Health Assembly.

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to lead this effort and will continue to be an unwavering voice for global human rights and freedom.