Taiwan Travel Act

Bill: 115-hr-535
Sponsor: full_name: Rep. Chabot, Steve [R-OH-1]
Introduced: 2017-01-13
Policy area: International Affairs
Subjects: Asia

Diplomacy, foreign officials, Americans abroad

Federal officials

Taiwan

Travel and tourism
Latest action: action_date: 2018-03-16
text: Became Public Law No: 115-135.

Summaries:
action_date: 2017-01-13
action_desc: Introduced in House
text: <p><strong>Taiwan Travel Act</strong></p> <p> This bill states that it should be U.S. policy to: (1) allow officials at all levels of the U.S. government to travel to Taiwan to meet their Taiwanese counterparts; (2) permit high-level Taiwanese officials to enter the United States under respectful conditions and to meet with U.S. officials, including officials from the Department of State and the Department of Defense; and (3) encourage the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office, and any other instrumentality established by Taiwan, to conduct business in the United States.</p>

action_date: 2018-01-09
action_desc: Passed House without amendment
text: <p>(This measure has not been amended since it was introduced. The summary has been expanded because action occurred on the measure.)</p> <p><strong>Taiwan Travel Act</strong></p> <p> (Sec. 2) This bill expresses the sense of Congress that the U.S. government should encourage visits between U.S. and Taiwanese officials at all levels.</p> <p> The bill states that it should be U.S. policy to: (1) allow U.S. officials at all levels to travel to Taiwan to meet their Taiwanese counterparts; (2) permit high-level Taiwanese officials to enter the United States under respectful conditions and to meet with U.S. officials, including officials from the Departments of State and Defense; and (3) encourage the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office and any other instrumentality established by Taiwan to conduct business in the United States.</p>

action_date: 2018-02-12
action_desc: Reported to Senate without amendment
text: <p>(This measure has not been amended since it was introduced. The expanded summary of the House passed version is repeated here.)</p> <p><strong>Taiwan Travel Act</strong></p> <p> (Sec. 2) This bill expresses the sense of Congress that the U.S. government should encourage visits between U.S. and Taiwanese officials at all levels.</p> <p> The bill states that it should be U.S. policy to: (1) allow U.S. officials at all levels to travel to Taiwan to meet their Taiwanese counterparts; (2) permit high-level Taiwanese officials to enter the United States under respectful conditions and to meet with U.S. officials, including officials from the Departments of State and Defense; and (3) encourage the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office and any other instrumentality established by Taiwan to conduct business in the United States.</p>

action_date: 2018-02-28
action_desc: Passed Senate without amendment
text: <p>(This measure has not been amended since it was introduced. The expanded summary of the House passed version is repeated here.)</p> <p><strong>Taiwan Travel Act</strong></p> <p> (Sec. 2) This bill expresses the sense of Congress that the U.S. government should encourage visits between U.S. and Taiwanese officials at all levels.</p> <p> The bill states that it should be U.S. policy to: (1) allow U.S. officials at all levels to travel to Taiwan to meet their Taiwanese counterparts; (2) permit high-level Taiwanese officials to enter the United States under respectful conditions and to meet with U.S. officials, including officials from the Departments of State and Defense; and (3) encourage the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office and any other instrumentality established by Taiwan to conduct business in the United States.</p>

action_date: 2018-03-16
action_desc: Public Law
text: <p><strong>Taiwan Travel Act</strong></p> <p> (Sec. 3) This bill expresses the sense of Congress that the U.S. government should encourage visits between U.S. and Taiwanese officials at all levels.</p> <p> The bill states that it should be U.S. policy to: (1) allow U.S. officials at all levels to travel to Taiwan to meet their Taiwanese counterparts; (2) permit high-level Taiwanese officials to enter the United States under respectful conditions and to meet with U.S. officials, including officials from the Departments of State and Defense; and (3) encourage the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office and any other instrumentality established by Taiwan to conduct business in the United States.</p>

tv_txt: I 115th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 535 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES January 13, 2017 Mr. Chabot (for himself, Mr. Royce of California , and Mr. Sherman ) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs A BILL To encourage visits between the United States and Taiwan at all levels, and for other purposes.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Taiwan Travel Act . 2. Findings Congress finds the following: (1) The Taiwan Relations Act ( 22 U.S.C. 3301 et seq.), enacted in 1979, has continued for 37 years to be a cornerstone of relations between the United States and Taiwan and has served as an anchor for peace and security in the Western Pacific area. (2) 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. (3) 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 area and of grave concern to the United States. (4) Taiwan has succeeded in a momentous transition to democracy beginning in the late 1980s and has been a beacon of democracy in Asia, and Taiwan’s democratic achievements inspire many countries and people in the region. (5) Visits to a country by United States cabinet members and other high-ranking officials are an indicator of the breadth and depth of ties between the United States and such country. (6) Since the enactment of the Taiwan Relations Act, relations between the United States and Taiwan have suffered from insufficient high-level communication due to the self-imposed restrictions that the United States maintains on high-level visits with Taiwan. 3. Sense of Congress; Statement of policy (a) Sense of congress It is the sense of Congress that the United States Government should encourage visits between officials from the United States and Taiwan at all levels. (b) Statement of policy It should be the policy of the United States to— (1) allow officials at all levels of the United States Government, including cabinet-level national security officials, general officers, and other executive branch officials, to travel to Taiwan to meet their Taiwanese counterparts; (2) allow high-level officials of Taiwan to enter the United States, under conditions which demonstrate appropriate respect for the dignity of such officials, and to meet with officials of the United States, including officials from the Department of State and the Department of Defense and other cabinet agencies; and (3) encourage the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office, and any other instrumentality established by Taiwan, to conduct business in the United States, including activities which involve participation by Members of Congress, officials of Federal, State, or local governments of the United States, or any high-level official of Taiwan.

tv_txt: I 115th CONGRESS 2d Session H. R. 535 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES AN ACT To encourage visits between the United States and Taiwan at all levels, and for other purposes.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Taiwan Travel Act . 2. Findings Congress finds the following: (1) The Taiwan Relations Act ( 22 U.S.C. 3301 et seq.), enacted in 1979, has continued for 37 years to be a cornerstone of relations between the United States and Taiwan and has served as an anchor for peace and security in the Western Pacific area. (2) 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. (3) 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 area and of grave concern to the United States. (4) Taiwan has succeeded in a momentous transition to democracy beginning in the late 1980s and has been a beacon of democracy in Asia, and Taiwan’s democratic achievements inspire many countries and people in the region. (5) Visits to a country by United States Cabinet members and other high-ranking officials are an indicator of the breadth and depth of ties between the United States and such country. (6) Since the enactment of the Taiwan Relations Act, relations between the United States and Taiwan have suffered from insufficient high-level communication due to the self-imposed restrictions that the United States maintains on high-level visits with Taiwan. 3. Sense of Congress; Statement of policy (a) Sense of congress It is the sense of Congress that the United States Government should encourage visits between officials from the United States and Taiwan at all levels. (b) Statement of policy It should be the policy of the United States to— (1) allow officials at all levels of the United States Government, including Cabinet-level national security officials, general officers, and other executive branch officials, to travel to Taiwan to meet their Taiwanese counterparts; (2) allow high-level officials of Taiwan to enter the United States, under conditions which demonstrate appropriate respect for the dignity of such officials, and to meet with officials of the United States, including officials from the Department of State and the Department of Defense and other Cabinet agencies; and (3) encourage the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office, and any other instrumentality established by Taiwan, to conduct business in the United States, including activities which involve participation by Members of Congress, officials of Federal, State, or local governments of the United States, or any high-level official of Taiwan.

Passed the House of Representatives January 9, 2018. Karen L. Haas, Clerk.

tv_txt: IIB 115th CONGRESS 2d Session H. R. 535 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES January 10, 2018 Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations AN ACT To encourage visits between the United States and Taiwan at all levels, and for other purposes.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Taiwan Travel Act . 2. Findings Congress finds the following: (1) The Taiwan Relations Act ( 22 U.S.C. 3301 et seq.), enacted in 1979, has continued for 37 years to be a cornerstone of relations between the United States and Taiwan and has served as an anchor for peace and security in the Western Pacific area. (2) 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. (3) 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 area and of grave concern to the United States. (4) Taiwan has succeeded in a momentous transition to democracy beginning in the late 1980s and has been a beacon of democracy in Asia, and Taiwan’s democratic achievements inspire many countries and people in the region. (5) Visits to a country by United States Cabinet members and other high-ranking officials are an indicator of the breadth and depth of ties between the United States and such country. (6) Since the enactment of the Taiwan Relations Act, relations between the United States and Taiwan have suffered from insufficient high-level communication due to the self-imposed restrictions that the United States maintains on high-level visits with Taiwan. 3. Sense of Congress; Statement of policy (a) Sense of congress It is the sense of Congress that the United States Government should encourage visits between officials from the United States and Taiwan at all levels. (b) Statement of policy It should be the policy of the United States to— (1) allow officials at all levels of the United States Government, including Cabinet-level national security officials, general officers, and other executive branch officials, to travel to Taiwan to meet their Taiwanese counterparts; (2) allow high-level officials of Taiwan to enter the United States, under conditions which demonstrate appropriate respect for the dignity of such officials, and to meet with officials of the United States, including officials from the Department of State and the Department of Defense and other Cabinet agencies; and (3) encourage the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office, and any other instrumentality established by Taiwan, to conduct business in the United States, including activities which involve participation by Members of Congress, officials of Federal, State, or local governments of the United States, or any high-level official of Taiwan.

Passed the House of Representatives January 9, 2018. Karen L. Haas, Clerk.

tv_txt: II Calendar No. 310 115th CONGRESS 2d Session H. R. 535 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES January 10, 2018 Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations February 12, 2018 Reported by Mr. Corker , without amendment AN ACT To encourage visits between the United States and Taiwan at all levels, and for other purposes.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Taiwan Travel Act . 2. Findings Congress finds the following: (1) The Taiwan Relations Act ( 22 U.S.C. 3301 et seq.), enacted in 1979, has continued for 37 years to be a cornerstone of relations between the United States and Taiwan and has served as an anchor for peace and security in the Western Pacific area. (2) 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. (3) 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 area and of grave concern to the United States. (4) Taiwan has succeeded in a momentous transition to democracy beginning in the late 1980s and has been a beacon of democracy in Asia, and Taiwan’s democratic achievements inspire many countries and people in the region. (5) Visits to a country by United States Cabinet members and other high-ranking officials are an indicator of the breadth and depth of ties between the United States and such country. (6) Since the enactment of the Taiwan Relations Act, relations between the United States and Taiwan have suffered from insufficient high-level communication due to the self-imposed restrictions that the United States maintains on high-level visits with Taiwan. 3. Sense of Congress; Statement of policy (a) Sense of congress It is the sense of Congress that the United States Government should encourage visits between officials from the United States and Taiwan at all levels. (b) Statement of policy It should be the policy of the United States to— (1) allow officials at all levels of the United States Government, including Cabinet-level national security officials, general officers, and other executive branch officials, to travel to Taiwan to meet their Taiwanese counterparts; (2) allow high-level officials of Taiwan to enter the United States, under conditions which demonstrate appropriate respect for the dignity of such officials, and to meet with officials of the United States, including officials from the Department of State and the Department of Defense and other Cabinet agencies; and (3) encourage the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office, and any other instrumentality established by Taiwan, to conduct business in the United States, including activities which involve participation by Members of Congress, officials of Federal, State, or local governments of the United States, or any high-level official of Taiwan.

February 12, 2018 Reported without amendment

tv_txt: I One Hundred Fifteenth Congress of the United States of America At the Second Session Begun and held at the City of Washington on Wednesday, the third day of January, two thousand and eighteen H. R. 535 AN ACT To encourage visits between the United States and Taiwan at all levels, and for other purposes.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Taiwan Travel Act . 2. Findings Congress finds the following: (1) The Taiwan Relations Act ( 22 U.S.C. 3301 et seq.), enacted in 1979, has continued for 37 years to be a cornerstone of relations between the United States and Taiwan and has served as an anchor for peace and security in the Western Pacific area. (2) 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. (3) 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 area and of grave concern to the United States. (4) Taiwan has succeeded in a momentous transition to democracy beginning in the late 1980s and has been a beacon of democracy in Asia, and Taiwan’s democratic achievements inspire many countries and people in the region. (5) Visits to a country by United States Cabinet members and other high-ranking officials are an indicator of the breadth and depth of ties between the United States and such country. (6) Since the enactment of the Taiwan Relations Act, relations between the United States and Taiwan have suffered from insufficient high-level communication due to the self-imposed restrictions that the United States maintains on high-level visits with Taiwan. 3. Sense of Congress; Statement of policy (a) Sense of congress It is the sense of Congress that the United States Government should encourage visits between officials from the United States and Taiwan at all levels. (b) Statement of policy It should be the policy of the United States to— (1) allow officials at all levels of the United States Government, including Cabinet-level national security officials, general officers, and other executive branch officials, to travel to Taiwan to meet their Taiwanese counterparts; (2) allow high-level officials of Taiwan to enter the United States, under conditions which demonstrate appropriate respect for the dignity of such officials, and to meet with officials of the United States, including officials from the Department of State and the Department of Defense and other Cabinet agencies; and (3) encourage the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office, and any other instrumentality established by Taiwan, to conduct business in the United States, including activities which involve participation by Members of Congress, officials of Federal, State, or local governments of the United States, or any high-level official of Taiwan.

Speaker of the House of Representatives. Vice President of the United States and President of the Senate.