720 
HR 1960 PCS
(1) an enduring United States presence and en-
gagement across Europe and Eurasia provides the 
critical access and infrastructure necessary to ac-
complish United States strategic priorities, expand 
United States global reach to Europe, Eurasia, the 
Middle East, Africa, as well as the Mediterranean 
and Atlantic Oceans, and facilitates a rapid United 
States response for complex contingencies; 
(2) the United States continues to have an in-
terest in supporting the stability and security of Eu-
rope, especially in a dynamic and challenging global 
security environment; 
(3) forward-stationed active duty service mem-
bers, forward-deployed rotational units, and reserve 
forces assigned to U.S. European Command remain 
essential for United States planning, logistics, and 
operations in support of U.S. Central Command, 
U.S. Africa Command, U.S. Transportation Com-
mand, U.S. Special Operations Command, and U.S. 
Strategic Command, as well as fulfilling commit-
ments under Article V of the North Atlantic Char-
ter; 
(4) in light of the benefits associated with de-
fense of the homeland forward and strategic access, 
as well as the potential for rotational deployments to 
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increase cost to the Department of Defense, the De-
partment of Defense should implement the rec-
ommendations of the Government Accountability Of-
fice with regard to improved cost estimation to en-
able informed force posture decisions prior to mak-
ing any further significant changes to the United 
States force posture in Europe that could increase 
risk for the United States; and 
(5) the Secretary of Defense should keep Con-
gress fully and currently informed regarding the re-
quirements of the United States force posture in Eu-
rope and the costs associated with maintaining such 
force. 
SEC. 1257. SENSE OF CONGRESS ON MILITARY CAPABILI-
TIES OF THE PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF CHINA. 
Congress— 
(1) notes the People’s Republic of China (PRC) 
continues to rapidly modernize and expand its mili-
tary capabilities across the land, sea, air, space, and 
cyberspace domains; 
(2) is concerned by the rate and scope of PRC 
military developments, including its military-focused 
cyber espionage, which indicate a desire to constrain 
or prevent the peaceful activities of the United 
States and its allies in the Western Pacific; 
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(3) concurs with Admiral Samuel Locklear, 
commander of U.S. Pacific Command, that ‘‘China’s 
rapid development of advanced military capabilities, 
combined with its unclear intentions, certainly raises 
strategic and security concerns for the U.S. and the 
region’’; 
(4) notes the United States remains committed 
to a robust forward military-presence in the Asia- 
Pacific and will continue to vigorously support mu-
tual defense arrangements with treaty allies while 
also building deeper relationships with other stra-
tegic partners in the region; and 
(5) urges the Government of the PRC to work 
peacefully to resolve existing territorial disputes and 
to adopt a maritime code of conduct with relevant 
parties to guide all forms of maritime interaction 
and communications in the Asia-Pacific. 
SEC. 1258. RULE OF CONSTRUCTION. 
Nothing in this Act shall be construed as authorizing 
the use of force against Syria or Iran. 
SEC. 1259. SENSE OF CONGRESS REGARDING RELATIONS 
WITH TAIWAN. 
It is the sense of Congress that the United States 
should— 
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(1) allow all high-level officials of Taiwan to 
enter into the United States or its embassies and 
consulates under conditions which demonstrate ap-
propriate respect for the dignity of such leaders; 
(2) allow meetings between all high-level Tai-
wan and United States officials in United States ex-
ecutive departments; 
(3) allow the Taipei Economic and Cultural 
Representative Office and all other instrumentalities 
established in the United States by Taiwan to con-
duct business activities, including activities which in-
volve participation by Members of Congress and 
other representatives of Federal, State, and local 
governments, and all high-level Taiwan officials, 
without obstruction from the United States Govern-
ment or any foreign power; and 
(4) adopt a policy of allowing high-ranking Tai-
wan leaders to make official visits with high-ranking 
officials of the United States, including official visits 
by Taiwan’s democratically elected president, and al-
lowing for visits between these officials in Wash-
ington, D.C. 
SEC. 1260. SENSE OF CONGRESS ON THE THREAT POSED BY 
HEZBOLLAH. 
(a) FINDINGS.—Congress finds the following: 
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(1) Hezbollah has been designated a foreign 
terrorist organization by the Department of State 
since October 8, 1997. 
(2) Hezbollah has been responsible for numer-
ous terrorist attacks and attempted terrorist attacks 
around the world, including attacks against United 
States citizens. 
(3) Hezbollah is active in Europe and has been 
linked to a July 18, 2012, suicide bombing in Bul-
garia which killed five people. 
(4) Hezbollah operatives have been captured 
around the world attacking or attempting to attack 
Western and Israeli targets. 
(5) The United States is working with its Euro-
pean allies to combat terrorism through a variety of 
means, including through NATO’s Partnership Ac-
tion Plan against Terrorism and the Defence 
Against Terrorism Programme of Work. 
(b) SENSE OF CONGRESS.—It is the sense of Con-
gress that— 
(1) the United States should continue to use all 
necessary means to fight against terrorism, includ-
ing Hezbollah; 
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