Date: 2016-03-14
Speaker: JACKSON LEE (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Speaker. I stand in strong support of S. 2426. directing the Secretary of State to develop a strategy to obtain observer status for Taiwan in the International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL). Last year. I supported H.R. 1853. which passed here in the House of Representatives. directing the Administration to develop a strategy to obtain observer status for Taiwan in the International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL). and for other purposes. As the Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Crime. Terrorism. Homeland Security. and Investigations. the empowerment of law enforcement in order that they be able to carry out their mandate in upholding the rule of law and preservation of peace and security are imperatives I believe we must continue to seek to facilitate here in the homeland as well as in the global community from Nigeria to Taiwan and everywhere in between to maintain global stability and combat violent extremism. Our world today is fraught with global terrorism. with groups such as ISIL. Boko Haram. alShabab and their other affiliates. utilizing information sharing and technologies to advance their vitriolic causes. This is why organizing. inclusion and empowerment of nations willing to work together to combat domestic and global terrorism is in our global and national security interest. This measure facilitates the United States and the global communitys ability to move swiftly to empower police and law enforcement in our collective efforts of coordinating. preempting and acting swiftly in unison. strategically in combatting terrorism. crisis prevention and response and maintaining. peace. security. law. order and respect for the rule of law. I join this bipartisan measure which seeks to facilitate INTERPOL member states efforts to promote Taiwans ability to bid to obtain observer status in the INTERPOL. Indeed. since 1964. Taiwan had maintained full membership. but was ejected 20 years later when the Peoples Republic of China (PRC) applied for membership. Part of what the United States Administration can do is to take the lead in endorsing Taiwan in obtaining its observer status. Let me underscore that the Administration and our Secretary of State are doing a fantastic job in diplomatic efforts on behalf of our nation. earning us goodwill in the global community. The United States has expressed its affirmative intentions in support of Taiwans participation in appropriate international organizations. as delineated in the 1994 Taiwan Policy Review. For instance. Public Law 108235 authorized the Secretary of State to initiate and implement a plan to endorse and obtain observer status at the annual World Health Assembly for six consecutive years. owing to Taiwans significant contribution to the global communitys efforts of addressing pandemic control and global public health issues of our day. Indeed. the INTERPOLs constitution allows observer status at meetings by police entities who are not members of the Organization. The current status of nonmembership status preludes Taiwan from gaining access to INTERPOLs 124/7 global communications systems. an important real time information sharing infrastructure on domestic and global criminals. The current state of affairs relegates Taiwan to hearsay or second hand information from friendly nations such as the United States. This impedes Taiwans ability to move swiftly in information acquisition as it relates to its domestic and global crime fighting efforts. As a senior member of the Committee on Homeland Security. global and national security efforts and infrastructures that promote global communications to achieve peace and stability are very important to me. This measure seeks to protect our security interests in Taiwan as well as the global security of the world. Taiwans inaccessibility to critical information readily made available to its law enforcement forces places our entire world at risk. This measure seeks to facilitate Taiwans direct and unobstructed participation in the International Criminal Police which promotes global security. I support and urge the support of this measure because it is beneficial for all nations and their police authorities to be able to share information with authorized police authorities in their law enforcement and peacekeeping efforts in combatting local and global crimes. including the contemporary crime of violent extremism.