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[Congressional Bills 113th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 185 Introduced in House (IH)]

113th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. RES. 185

    Declaring that it should be the policy of the United States to 
  encourage visits between the United States and Taiwan at all levels.

_______________________________________________________________________

                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             April 26, 2013

 Mr. Bentivolio submitted the following resolution; which was referred 
                  to the Committee on Foreign Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION

 
    Declaring that it should be the policy of the United States to 
  encourage visits between the United States and Taiwan at all levels.

Whereas the Taiwan Relations Act (Public Law 96-8; 22 U.S.C. 3301 et seq.), 
        enacted in 1979, has continued for 34 years to be the cornerstone of 
        United States-Taiwan relations and has served as an anchor for peace and 
        security in the Western Pacific region;
Whereas the Taiwan Relations Act declares that peace and stability in the 
        Western Pacific area are in the political, security, and economic 
        interests of the United States, and are matters of international 
        concern; the United States considers any effort to determine the future 
        of Taiwan by other than peaceful means, including by boycotts or 
        embargoes, a threat to the peace and security of the Western Pacific and 
        are of grave concern to the United States;
Whereas Taiwan has succeeded in a momentous transition to democracy beginning in 
        the late 1980s and has been a beacon of democratic practices in Asia, 
        and Taiwan's democratic achievements inspire many countries and people 
        in the region;
Whereas through the Taiwan Relations Act, the United States treats Taiwan as a 
        de facto sovereign, independent nation;
Whereas visits by United States cabinet officials and other high-ranking 
        officials are an indicator of the breadth and depth of ties between the 
        United States and its friends and Allies;
Whereas over the past decades, United States-Taiwan relations have suffered from 
        a lack of communication due to the self-imposed restrictions that the 
        United States maintains on high-level visits with Taiwan; and
Whereas it should be the policy of the United States to encourage visits between 
        the United States and Taiwan at all levels: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This resolution may be cited as the ``Taiwan Travel Act''.

SEC. 2. POLICY.

    Notwithstanding the 1994 Taiwan policy review and current guidance 
from the Department of State pertaining to contacts with Taiwan, it 
should be United States policy to--
            (1) allow all high-level officials of Taiwan to enter into 
        the United States or its embassies and consulates under 
        conditions which demonstrate appropriate respect for the 
        dignity of such leaders;
            (2) allow meetings between all high-level Taiwanese and 
        United States officials in United States executive departments, 
        including the Department of State and Department of Defense; 
        and
            (3) allow the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative 
        Office and all other instrumentalities established by Taiwan to 
        conduct official business activities, including activities 
        which involve participation by Members of the United States 
        Congress and other representatives of the Federal, State, and 
        local governments, and all high-level Taiwanese officials, 
        without obstruction from the United States Government or any 
        foreign power.
                                 <all>
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