23 June 1999
TEXT: HOUSE PANEL FORWARDS BILL ON TAIWAN PARTICIPATION IN WHO
(H.R. 1794 marked up and sent to full committee) (650) Washington -- The House International Relations Subcommittee on Asia and the Pacific marked up a bill supporting the participation of Taiwan in the World Health Organization (WHO) and sent it to the full committee for approval. According to subcommittee staffers, lawmakers made only one change to the bill, H.R. 1794, altering the date for the Secretary of State's report to the Congress on the efforts to more actively support Taiwan's participation in international organizations from September 21, 1999 to January 1, 2000. The bill was introduced on May 13. Following is the text of the bill, as marked up by the subcommittee: (begin text) HR 1794 IH 106th CONGRESS 1st Session H.R. 1794 Concerning the participation of Taiwan in the World Health Organization (WHO). IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES May 13, 1999 Mr. BROWN of Ohio (for himself and Mr. CHABOT) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on International Relations ------------------------------------------------------------------------ A BILL Concerning the participation of Taiwan in the World Health Organization (WHO). Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. CONCERNING THE PARTICIPATION OF TAIWAN IN THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION (WHO). (a) FINDINGS- The Congress makes the following findings: (1) Good health is a basic right for every citizen of the world and access to the highest standards of health information and services is necessary to help guarantee this right. (2) Direct and unobstructed participation in international health cooperation forums and programs is therefore crucial, especially with today's greater potential for the cross-border spread of various infectious diseases such as AIDS. (3) The World Health Organization (WHO) set forth in the first chapter of its charter the objective of attaining the highest possible level of health for all people. (4) In 1977, the World Health Organization established `Health For All By The Year 2000' as its overriding priority and reaffirmed that central vision with the initiation of its `Health For All' renewal process in 1995. (5) Taiwan's population of 21,000,000 people is larger than that of 3/4 of the member states already in the World Health Organization. (6) Taiwan's achievements in the field of health are substantial, including one of the highest life expectancy levels in Asia, maternal and infant mortality rates comparable to those of western countries, the eradication of such infectious diseases as cholera, smallpox, and the plague, and the first to be rid of polio and provide children with free hepatitis B vaccinations. (7) The World Health Organization was unable to assist Taiwan with an outbreak of enterovirus 71 which killed 70 Taiwanese children and infected more than 1,100 Taiwanese children in 1998. (8) In recent years Taiwan has expressed a willingness to assist financially or technically in WHO-supported international aid and health activities, but has ultimately been unable to render such assistance. (9) The World Health Organization allows observers to participate in the activities of the organization. (10) The United States, in the 1994 Taiwan Policy Review, declared its intention to support Taiwan's participation in appropriate international organizations. (11) In light of all of the benefits that Taiwan's participation in the World Health Organization could bring to the state of health not only in Taiwan, but also regionally and globally, Taiwan and its 21,000,000 people should have appropriate and meaningful participation in the World Health Organization. (b) REPORT- Not later than January 1, 2000, the Secretary of State shall submit a report to the Congress on the efforts of the Secretary to fulfill the commitment made in the 1994 Taiwan Policy Review to more actively support Taiwan's participation in international organizations, in particular the World Health Organization (WHO). (end text)
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