Concerning the participation of Taiwan in the World Health Organization. (Introduced in the House)

HR 4004 IH

106th CONGRESS

2d Session

H. R. 4004

Concerning the participation of Taiwan in the World Health Organization.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

March 16, 2000

Mr. BROWN of Ohio (for himself, Mr. CHABOT, Mr. LANTOS, Mr. STARK, Mr. ENGLISH, Mr. LARSON, Mr. ROHRABACHER, and Mr. WEXLER) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on International Relations

A BILL

Concerning the 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 a basic right for every citizen of the world and access to the highest standards of health information and services is necessary to help guarantee this right.

(2) Direct and unobstructed participation in international health cooperation forums and programs is therefore crucial for all parts of the world, especially with today's greater potential for the cross-border spread of various infectious diseases such as AIDS.

(3) Taiwan's population of 22,000,000 people is larger than that of 3/4 of the member states already in the 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 be rid of polio and provide children with free hepatitis B vaccinations.

(5) In 1998, an outbreak of enterovirus 71 killed 70 Taiwanese children whose deaths could have been prevented if Taiwan would have had access to the WHO.

(6) In recent years Taiwan has expressed a willingness to assist financially and technically in WHO-supported international aid and health activities, but has been unable to render such assistance.

(7) The WHO has allowed observers to participate in the activities of the organization, including the Palestinian Liberation Organization, the Knights of Malta, and the Vatican.

(8) The United States, in the 1994 Taiwan Policy Review, declared its intention to support Taiwan's participation in appropriate international organizations.

(9) Public Law 106-137 required the Secretary of State to submit a report to Congress on administration efforts to support Taiwan's participation in international organizations, in particular the WHO.

(10) On January 4, 2000, the State Department issued its report to the Congress, `Taiwan Participation in the World Health Organization,' which notes that `historically, observers have sometimes been authorized at the World Health Assembly meetings' but refuses to follow the spirit of the 1994 Taiwan Policy Review and endorse Taiwanese participation in this manner.

(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 22,000,000 people should have appropriate and meaningful participation in the WHO.

(b) PLAN- The Secretary of State shall 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 2000 in Geneva, Switzerland, and shall instruct the United States delegation to Geneva to implement such plan.

(c) REPORT- Not later than 14 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State shall submit a written report to the Congress in unclassified form containing the plan required under subsection (b).