I
106TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. R. 1794
Concerning the participation of Taiwan in the World Health Organization
(WHO).
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
MAY 13, 1999
Mr. BROWN of Ohio (for himself and Mr. CHABOT) 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 (WHO).
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives 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 pro-
grams is therefore crucial, especially with today’s
greater potential for the cross-border spread of var-
ious infectious diseases such as AIDS.
(3) The World Health Organization (WHO) set
forth in the first chapter of its charter the objective
of attaining the highest possible level of health for
all people.
(4) In 1977, the World Health Organization es-
tablished ‘‘Health For All By The Year 2000’’ as its
overriding priority and reaffirmed that central vision
with the initiation of its ‘‘Health For All’’ renewal
process in 1995.
(5) Taiwan’s population of 21,000,000 people is
larger than that of 3/4 of the member states already
in the World Health Organization.
(6) Taiwan’s achievements in the field of health
are substantial, including one of the highest life ex-
pectancy levels in Asia, maternal and infant mor-
tality rates comparable to those of western countries,
the eradication of such infectious diseases as chol-
era, smallpox, and the plague, and the first to be rid
of polio and provide children with free hepatitis B
vaccinations.
(7) The World Health Organization was unable
to assist Taiwan with an outbreak of enterovirus 71
which killed 70 Taiwanese children and infected
more than 1,100 Taiwanese children in 1998.
(8) In recent years Taiwan has expressed a will-
ingness to assist financially or technically in WHO-
supported international aid and health activities, but
has ultimately been unable to render such assist-
ance.
(9) The World Health Organization allows ob-
servers to participate in the activities of the organi-
zation.
(10) The United States, in the 1994 Taiwan
Policy Review, declared its intention to support Tai-
wan’s participation in appropriate international or-
ganizations.
(11) In light of all of the benefits that Taiwan’s
participation in the World Health Organization
could bring to the state of health not only in Tai-
wan, but also regionally and globally, Taiwan and its
21,000,000 people should have appropriate and
meaningful participation in the World Health Orga-
nization.
(b) REPORT.—Not later than September 21, 1999,
the Secretary of State shall submit a report to the Con-
gress on the efforts of the Secretary to fulfill the commit-
ment made in the 1994 Taiwan Policy Review to more
actively support Taiwan’s participation in international or-
ganizations, in particular the World Health Organization
(WHO).
Æ