Congress of the United States
Washington, DC 20515

September 22, 1999

Dear Colleague:

We understand that the House International Relations Committee may soon consider HR1838, the Taiwan Security Enhancement Act. As cosponsors of this important legislation, we are contacting you as a member of the House Committee on International Relations to urge your support and cosponsorship of this important legislation.

According to a Pentagon report to Congress earlier this year, China is engaged in a major buildup of ballistic missiles on its coast directly across the strait from Taiwan. Beijing is simultaneously increasing pressure on the U.S. to limit or crease our sales to Taiwan of defensive weaponry.

We strongly believe that the United States must remain steadfast firmly committed to fulfilling our obligations under the Taiwan Relations Act - in which the U.S. promised to provide Taiwan with the means to maintain a sufficient self-defense capability - to maintain a balance of power in the region.

Toward this end, the bi-partisan “Taiwan Security Enhancement Act” was introduced on May 18 by International Relations Committee Chairman Ben Gilman and others. The bill has three main thrusts:

(1) Ensuring that Taiwan has the necessary equipment to maintain its self-defense capabilities;

(2) Bolstering the process for such defense sales to Taiwan by prohibiting politically motivated reductions in arms sales and requiring an annual Presidential report to congress on Taiwan’s defense needs;

(3) Redressing deficiencies in Taiwan’s readiness by establishing direct communications between our militaries.

The bill has 60-cosponsors: Reps.
 DeLay, Gejdenson, Armey, Berman, Cox, Faleomavaega, Gilman, Wexler, Rohrabacher, Martinez, Smith, Payne, Burton, Hastings, Diaz-Balart, Deutsch, Hunter, Andrews, Cook, Wynn, Weldon, Kleczka, Schaffer, Forbes, Ehrlich, Jefferson, Myrick, Wu, Miller, Frank, English, Maloney, Bliley, Lowey, Morella, Maloney, Crane, Frost, Hefley, Deal, Sununu, Barton, Calvert, Foley, Barr, Radanovich, Linder, Bilirakis, Dunn, Whitfield, Rogan, Ney, Tancredo, Franks, Chabot, Pryce, DeMint, Doolittle, Bachus and Vitter.

Thank you for your consideration. If you have questions or would like to cosponsor, please call contact us directly or call Brett Shogren at 5-0197.

Sincerely yours,

Peter Deutsch
Gerry Kleczka
James Maloney
Robert Andrews
William Jefferson
Michael Forbes