Accelerating Arms Transfers to Taiwan Act

Bill: 117-hr-8842
Sponsor: full_name: Rep. Chabot, Steve [R-OH-1]
Introduced: 2022-09-15
Policy area: International Affairs
Latest action: action_date: 2022-09-15
text: Referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition to the Committee on Armed Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.

Summaries:
action_date: 2022-09-15
action_desc: Introduced in House
text: <p class="MsoNormal"><b>Accelerating Arms Transfers to Taiwan Act</b></p> <p class="MsoNormal">This bill adds Taiwan to the statutory list of high priority countries for transferring defense articles, directs the Department of Defense to use the Special Defense Acquisition Fund for defense articles to Taiwan, and eliminates restrictions on the stockpiling of defense articles in Taiwan.</p>

tv_txt: I 117th CONGRESS 2d Session H. R. 8842 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES September 15, 2022 Mr. Chabot (for himself and Mr. Sherman ) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs , and in addition to the Committee on Armed Services , for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned A BILL To authorize the transfer of certain defense articles and services to Taiwan, and for other purposes.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Accelerating Arms Transfers to Taiwan Act . 2. Findings Congress finds the following: (1) The United States is committed to providing Taiwan arms of a defensive character under section 2(b)(5) of the Taiwan Relations Act ( 22 U.S.C. 3301(b)(5) ) and under the Six Assurances. (2) The rapid military modernization undertaken by the People’s Liberation Army has progressively sifted the balance of power in the Taiwan Strait so that it is increasingly likely that the People’s Republic of China will assess that it is viable to determine the future of Taiwan by other than peaceful means. 3. Sense of Congress It is the sense of Congress that the United States and Taiwan have not sufficiently sought to expedite the delivery of arms to Taiwan. 4. Priority for delivery of excess defense articles to Taiwan Section 516(c)(2) of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 ( 22 U.S.C. 2321j(c)(2) ) is amended by striking and to the Philippines and inserting , to the Philippines, and to Taiwan . 5. Use of Special Defense Acquisition Fund The Secretary of Defense, in consultation with the Secretary of State, shall seek to utilize the Special Defense Acquisition Fund established under chapter 5 of the Arms Export Control Act ( 22 U.S.C. 2795 et seq. ) to expedite the procurement and delivery of defense articles and defense services for the purpose of assisting and supporting the armed forces of Taiwan. 6. Establishment of War Reserve Stockpile in Taiwan Section 514(c)(2) of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 ( 22 U.S.C. 2321h(c)(2) ) is amended by inserting after Thailand the following , Taiwan . 7. Report (a) In general Not later than 60 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of State shall jointly submit to the appropriate congressional committees a report regarding the planned use of the authorities described in this Act and the amendments made by this Act. (b) Elements The report required by subsection (a) shall include the following: (1) With respect to the authorities provided under section 4— (A) a list of current and prospective excess defense articles that are or will be provided to Taiwan; and (B) a list of excess defense articles determined to be required by Taiwan but the delivery of which was or will be prioritized for another country over the delivery of such articles to Taiwan. (2) Current and prospective uses of the Special Defense Acquisition Fund to decrease timelines for the delivery of defense articles and services to Taiwan. (3) The advantages of establishing a war reserve stockpile in Taiwan and the defense items necessary to make such stockpile an effective contribution to coalition war fighting. (4) With respect to Presidential authorities under section 506(a) of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 ( 22 U.S.C. 2318(a) ), a description, informed by ongoing war planning, of the anticipated defense articles and services that Taiwan will require in the event of a range of unforeseen defense emergencies, the cost of such articles and services, and the capacity of the United States to provide such articles and services in a timely manner. (c) Form The report required by subsection (a) may be submitted in classified form. (d) Appropriate congressional committees defined In this section, the term appropriate congressional committees means— (1) the Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Committee on Armed Services of the House of Representatives; and (2) the Committee on Foreign Relations and the Committee on Armed Services of the Senate.