Title: Taiwan Assurance Act of 2019
Policy area: International Affairs

Summary:
Taiwan Assurance Act of 2019
This bill directs the Department of State to review its guidance governing U.S.-Taiwan relations and to reissue such guidance to the relevant executive branch departments and agencies. It also directs the State Department to report to Congress on the results of the review and on the implementation of the Taiwan Travel Act, which states that it is U.S. policy to allow and encourage engagement between U.S. and Taiwanese officials.
The bill states that Taiwan is an important part of U.S. strategy in the region and urges the United States to conduct regular transfers of defense articles to enhance Taiwan's self-defense capabilities.


[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2002 Introduced in House (IH)]

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116th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 2002

         To foster security in Taiwan, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             April 1, 2019

  Mr. McCaul (for himself, Mr. Engel, Mr. Yoho, Mr. Sherman, Mr. Diaz-
  Balart, and Mr. Connolly) introduced the following bill; which was 
              referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
         To foster security in Taiwan, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Taiwan Assurance Act of 2019''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress makes the following findings:
            (1) April 10, 2019, marks the 40th anniversary of the 
        Taiwan Relations Act of 1979 (Public Law 96-8).
            (2) Since 1949, the close relationship between the United 
        States and Taiwan has benefitted both parties and the broader 
        Indo-Pacific region.
            (3) The security of Taiwan and its democracy are key 
        elements of continued peace and stability of the greater Indo-
        Pacific region, which is in the political, security, and 
        economic interests of the United States.
            (4) The People's Republic of China is currently engaged in 
        a comprehensive military modernization campaign to enhance the 
        power-projection capabilities of the People's Liberation Army 
        and its ability to conduct joint operations, which is shifting 
        the military balance of power across the Taiwan Strait.
            (5) Taiwan and its diplomatic partners continue to face 
        sustained pressure and coercion from the People's Republic of 
        China, which seeks to isolate Taiwan from the international 
        community.
            (6) It is the policy of the United States to reinforce its 
        commitments to Taiwan under the Taiwan Relations Act in a 
        manner consistent with the ``Six Assurances'' and in accordance 
        with the United States ``One China'' policy.
            (7) In the Taiwan Travel Act, which became law on March 16, 
        2018, Congress observed that the ``self-imposed restrictions 
        that the United States maintains on high-level visits'' between 
        the United States and Taiwan have resulted in insufficient 
        high-level communication.

SEC. 3. SENSE OF CONGRESS.

    It is the sense of Congress that--
            (1) Taiwan is a vital part of the United States Free and 
        Open Indo-Pacific Strategy;
            (2) the United States Government--
                    (A) supports Taiwan's continued pursuit of 
                asymmetric capabilities and concepts; and
                    (B) urges Taiwan to increase its defense spending 
                in order to fully resource its defense strategy; and
            (3) the United States should conduct regular sales and 
        transfers of defense articles to Taiwan in order to enhance its 
        self-defense capabilities, particularly its efforts to develop 
        and integrate asymmetric capabilities, including undersea 
        warfare and air defense capabilities, into its military forces.

SEC. 4. TAIWAN'S INCLUSION IN INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS.

    (a) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that the 
People's Republic of China's attempts to dictate the terms of Taiwan's 
participation in international organizations, has, in many cases, 
resulted in Taiwan's exclusion from such organizations even when 
statehood is not a requirement, and that such exclusion--
            (1) is detrimental to global health, civilian air safety, 
        and efforts to counter transnational crime;
            (2) negatively impacts the safety and security of citizens 
        globally; and
            (3) negatively impacts the security of Taiwan and its 
        democracy.
    (b) Statement of Policy.--It is the policy of the United States to 
advocate for Taiwan's meaningful participation in the United Nations, 
the World Health Assembly, the International Civil Aviation 
Organization, the International Criminal Police Organization, and other 
international bodies, as appropriate, and to advocate for Taiwan's 
membership in the Food and Agriculture Organization, the United Nations 
Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, and other 
international organizations for which statehood is not a requirement 
for membership.

SEC. 5. REVIEW OF DEPARTMENT OF STATE TAIWAN GUIDELINES.

    (a) In General.--Not later than 180 days after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State shall conduct a review of 
the Department of State's guidance that governs relations with Taiwan, 
including the periodic memorandum entitled ``Guidelines on Relations 
with Taiwan'' and related documents, and reissue such guidance to 
executive branch departments and agencies.
    (b) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that the 
Department of State's guidance regarding relations with Taiwan--
            (1) should be crafted with the intent to deepen and expand 
        United States-Taiwan relations, and be based on the value, 
        merits, and importance of the United States-Taiwan 
        relationship;
            (2) should be crafted giving due consideration to the fact 
        that Taiwan is governed by a representative democratic 
        government that is peacefully constituted through free and fair 
        elections that reflect the will of the people of Taiwan, and 
        that Taiwan is a free and open society that respects universal 
        human rights and democratic values; and
            (3) should ensure that the conduct of relations with Taiwan 
        reflects the longstanding, comprehensive, and values-based 
        relationship the United States shares with Taiwan, and 
        contribute to the peaceful resolution of cross-Strait issues.
    (c) Reporting Requirements.--Not later than 180 days after the date 
of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State shall submit to 
the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate and the Committee on 
Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives a report that includes 
a description of--
            (1) the results of the review pursuant to subsection (a) of 
        the Department of State's guidance on relations with Taiwan, 
        including a copy of the reissued ``Guidelines of Relations with 
        Taiwan'' memorandum; and
            (2) the implementation of the Taiwan Travel Act (Public Law 
        115-135) and any changes to guidance on relations with Taiwan 
        that are the result of such implementation.
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