A bill to address the participation of Taiwan in the World Health Organization.

Summary: Authorizes the Secretary of State to: (1) initiate, and instruct the U.S. delegation to implement, a plan to endorse and obtain observer status for Taiwan at the annual World Health Assembly summit in May 2004 in Geneva, Switzerland; and (2) introduce a resolution in support of observer status for Taiwan at such summit. Directs the Secretary to report no later than April 1 of each year on the U.S. plan to obtain observer status for Taiwan at such annual World Health Assembly summit.

SECTION 1. CONCERNING THE PARTICIPATION OF TAIWAN IN THE WORLD HEALTH 
              ORGANIZATION.

    (a) Findings.--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 today with the great 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 \3/4\ of the member states already in the World Health 
    Organization (WHO).
        (4) Taiwan's achievements in the field of health are 
    substantial, including--
            (A) attaining--
                (i) 1 of the highest life expectancy levels in Asia; 
            and
                (ii) maternal and infant mortality rates comparable to 
            those of western countries;
            (B) eradicating such infectious diseases as cholera, 
        smallpox, the plague, and polio; and
            (C) providing children with hepatitis B vaccinations.
        (5) The United States Centers for Disease Control and 
    Prevention and its counterpart agencies in Taiwan 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 1950's.
        (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 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 a 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 the 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.
        (15) In 2003, the outbreak of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome 
    (SARS) caused 84 deaths in Taiwan.
        (16) Avian influenza, commonly known as bird flu, has reemerged 
    in Asia, with strains of the influenza reported by the People's 
    Republic of China, Cambodia, Indonesia, Japan, Pakistan, South 
    Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam, and Laos.
        (17) The SARS and avian influenza outbreaks illustrate that 
    disease knows no boundaries and emphasize the importance of 
    allowing all people access to the WHO.
        (18) As the pace of globalization quickens and the spread of 
    infectious disease accelerates, it is crucial that all people, 
    including the people of Taiwan, be given the opportunity to 
    participate in international health organizations such as the WHO.
        (19) The Secretary of Health and Human Services acknowledged 
    during the 2003 World Health Assembly meeting that ``[t]he need for 
    effective public health exists among all peoples''.
    (b) Plan.--The Secretary of State is authorized to--
        (1) initiate a United States plan to endorse and obtain 
    observer status for Taiwan at the annual week-long summit of the 
    World Health Assembly each year in Geneva, Switzerland;
        (2) instruct the United States delegation to the World Health 
    Assembly in Geneva to implement that plan; and
        (3) introduce a resolution in support of observer status for 
    Taiwan at the summit of the World Health Assembly.
    (c) Report Concerning Observer Status for Taiwan at the Summit of 
the World Health Assembly.--Not later than 30 days after the date of 
the enactment of this Act, and not later than April 1 of each year 
thereafter, the Secretary of State shall submit a report to the 
Congress, in unclassified form, describing the United States plan to 
endorse and obtain observer status for Taiwan at the annual week-long 
summit of the World Health Assembly (WHA) held by the World Health 
Organization (WHO) in May of each year in Geneva, Switzerland. Each 
report shall include the following:
        (1) An account of the efforts the Secretary of State has made, 
    following the last meeting of the World Health Assembly, to 
    encourage WHO member states to promote Taiwan's bid to obtain 
    observer status.
        (2) The steps the Secretary of State will take to endorse and 
    obtain observer status at the next annual meeting of the World 
    Health Assembly in Geneva, Switzerland.

                               Speaker of the House of Representatives.

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