Mr. ROHRABACHER. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the concurrent resolution (H.Con.Res. 390) expressing the sense of the Congress regarding Taiwan's participation in the United Nations, as amended.

The Clerk read as follows:

H. Con. Res. 390

Whereas Taiwan has dramatically improved its record on human rights and routinely holds free and fair elections in a multiparty system, as evidenced most recently by Taiwan's second democratic presidential election of March 18, 2000, in which Mr. Chen Shui-bian was elected as president;

Whereas the 23,000,000 people on Taiwan are not represented in the United Nations and many other international organizations, and their human rights as citizens of the world are therefore severely abridged;

Whereas Taiwan has in recent years repeatedly expressed its strong desire to participate in the United Nations and other international organizations;

Whereas Taiwan has much to contribute to the work and funding of the United Nations and other international organizations;

Whereas the world community has reacted positively to Taiwan's desire for international participation, as shown by Taiwan's membership in the Asian Development Bank and Taiwan's admission to the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation group as a full member and to the World Trade Organization as an observer;

Whereas the United States has supported Taiwan's participation in these bodies and, in the Taiwan Policy Review of September 1994, declared an intention of a stronger and more active policy of support for Taiwan's participation in appropriate international organizations;

Whereas Public Law 106-137 required the Secretary of State to submit a report to the Congress on administration efforts to support Taiwan's participation in international organizations, in particular the World Health Organization; and

Whereas in such report the Secretary of State failed to endorse Taiwan's participation in international organizations and thereby did not follow the spirit of the 1994 Taiwan Policy Review: Now, therefore, be it

Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), That it is the sense of the Congress that-- (1) Taiwan and its 23,000,000 people deserve appropriate meaningful participation in the United Nations and other international organizations such as the World Health Organization; and

(2) the United States should fulfill the commitment it made in the 1994 Taiwan Policy Review to more actively support Taiwan's participation in appropriate international organizations.

The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from California (Mr.Rohrabacher) and the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Brown) each will control 20 minutes.

The Chair recognizes the gentleman from California (Mr. Rohrabacher).

Mr. ROHRABACHER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, the people of Taiwan have proved that freedom and democracy are not just American ideals, not just European ideals, they are the universal principles that apply to every individual, to every community and every nation as our Founding Fathers stated, that we look at the rights as being God given to all people on this planet.

The United States State Department's report on the Taiwan Policy Review 1994 clearly stated that the U.S. should more actively support Taiwan's membership in international organizations, because Taiwan has lived up to the ideals that we expect of democracies. And President Clinton, however, has not used our influence in international bodies to try to insist that Taiwan be able to participate in these organizations. Congressional support for Taiwan is solid.

Taiwan has made enormous strides towards becoming a full democracy, as I stated, and it is unreasonable for the people of Taiwan to be excluded from the full participation in international organizations due to threats from mainland China. Unfortunately, what we have today is a Communist dictatorship headed by gangsters who have never been elected to anything, who are making demands upon us to mistreat a democratically elected government in Taiwan.

It is embarrassing that our administration seems to be kowtowing to that type of pressure. The United States has supported Taiwan's membership in the Asian Development Bank and its admission to the Asian-Pacific Economic Cooperation group. Extending United Nations and World Health Organization membership is the next step in demonstrating U.S. support for Taiwan and a United States commitment to those people around the world who believe in democracy and freedom and liberty and justice and have actually moved to make sure their country, as Taiwan has done, enshrines those ideals.

China's continued harassment and intimidation of Taiwan also underlines the urgency and necessity of Taiwan's participation in the United Nations. Taiwan currently does not have access to the United Nations Security Council, and the forum countries whose safety is in jeopardy and they must turn to. Not only that, but after Taiwan has joined the United Nations' responsibility for Taiwan safety and security, it will be shifted solely to the United States as laid down in the 1979 Taiwan's Relations Act to the international community.

Mr. Speaker, I would ask my colleagues to support this legislation, and in doing so, strike a very solid note that can be heard around the world in the halls of the dictatorships in Beijing but also in the halls of democracy in Taiwan and in those countries that are struggling to be free that shows the United States is on the side of democracy and democratic people.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. BROWN of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the resolution. Taiwan's 40-year journey toward democracy is one of the 20th century's great success stories. The people of Taiwan have proved to the whole world that freedom and democracy are not just American ideals; they are universal principles that apply to every individual, to every community and to every Nation.

We must take steps to reward nations like Taiwan that are making such great progress towards democracy.

Mr. Speaker, I dream of a day when Taiwan is a contributing member of the World Trade Organization, the World Health Organization and the United Nations. I dream of a day when the U.S. will replace its one China policy with a policy of one China, one Taiwan, one Tibet.

H.Con.Res. 390 recognizes that Taiwan and its 23 million people deserve to participate in the UN and other international organizations, such as the World Health Organization.

The U.S. should fulfill its commitment made in the 1994 Taiwan Policy Review to more actively support Taiwan's membership in organizations such as the UN and the WHO. This legislation has received broad bipartisan support, 86 colleagues from both sides of the aisle have cosponsored this bill.

Taiwan's growing regional and global significance demands a more active and thoughtful U.S. policy. Our ties with Taiwan must encompass all aspects of Taiwan's security, trade relations and support for the right of self-determination for the people of Taiwan.

Mr. Speaker, I look forward to the day when the people of Taiwan replace their observance of 10-10 with President Lee's July 9 call for state-to-state relations with the People's Republic of China. One day I hope July 9th will be as important to the Taiwanese people as July 4th is to us.

Mr. Speaker, so much still remains to be done. If the U.S. believes so strongly in self-determination and the freedom for all people, we must support Taiwan in its struggle to become an independent democracy.

The U.S. must immediately abandon its misguided one China policy. Mr. Speaker, I ask support for the resolution.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. ROHRABACHER. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to yield the balance of my time to the gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Schaffer) to control the time.

The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from California?

There was no objection.

Mr. SCHAFFER. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Souder).

Mr. SOUDER. Mr. Speaker, it is an honor to be here tonight to support my friend, the gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Schaffer), who has introduced this important resolution and to the gentleman from California (Mr. Rohrabacher), the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Brown), champions of human rights around the world.

It is frustrating that we even have to debate a resolution like this, as to whether a free country, where they have just proven the ultimate test to democracy, and that is can a long-time power like in Taiwan and like in Mexico, where parties were in power for so many years we wondered whether it was a real democracy. But in fact, they made it a peaceful transition. The economy has not really changed.

The basic institutions in the society are sound like they are in America. And Taiwan is a model of what we should be looking at. If we look at them, they have been successful in high tech. They are one of our major trading partners, important in Indiana, and important in the Midwest and important to all the United States of America. The second largest trading partner with Japan, in fact, a major investor in trade with mainland China.

When we look at it, economically they are what we wanted. Politically they have undergone a transformation of power successfully without violence; that is what we ask of the world. They have religious freedom in their country with diverse religions, without warring, much of what we do not see from other member states of the United Nations.

They supported financially different foreign aid projects such as in Kosovo, even though they are not allowed to be in the United Nations, and we look at it and say what exactly do we want out of a country, what can we demand of these people that they are not delivering? Why in the world would an organization like the United Nations often full of states that are actually controlled by another state, states that are in constant disarray, where democracy is not practiced, where human rights are not practiced, and yet we let them in the United Nations and we will not let Taiwan. What is it that is so intimidating us and other nations of the world.

What is it that is so intimidating us and other nations of the world? Well, we have undergone a transformation in our relationships with the People's Republic of China. It is clear, as the world's largest nation, that we are going to continue to have some sort of a relationship that we need to work through with this giant nation. But that does not give them the right to push around and deny the rights to others such as Taiwan.

I stand here tonight in strong support of this resolution.

Mr. SCHAFFER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, Taiwan has played a positive role in promoting world trade and eradicating poverty and in advancing human rights, a fact that merits recognition by members of the United Nations. Taiwan has a population of 23 million and has a democratic system of government, but above all, it is a peace-loving nation which is able and willing to carry out the obligations contained in the charter of the United Nations.

Today the people of Taiwan enjoy a high degree of freedom and democracy. Taiwan held its first presidential election in March of 1996, the first time in history that Taiwan elected its highest leader by a popular vote.

In March of 2000, Mr. Chen Shui-bian of the Democrat Progressive Party was elected in the second direct presidential election, marking the first ever change of political parties for the Taiwan presidency.

Since Mr. Chen's inauguration on May 20 of this year, the people of Taiwan have witnessed a peaceful transition of power as a result of a democratic election.

Taiwan is one of the most successful examples of economic development in the 21st century, and is now the world's 19th largest economy in terms of gross national product, and the 14th most important trading country where the United States is concerned. It is also a major investor in East Asia, and possesses the third largest amount of foreign reserves in the world.

Taiwan is also a humanitarian-minded country. Over the years, it has sent over 10,000 experts to train technicians all over the world, especially in countries of Asia, the South Pacific, Latin America, and Africa to help develop agriculture, fisheries, livestock industries, and so on.

It also has provided billions of U.S. dollars in disaster relief throughout the world, including in China over the past several years, and has responded to the United Nations appeals for emergency relief and rehabilitation assistance to countries suffering from natural disasters and wars.

Currently, Taiwan contributes capital to regional development programs throughout international financial institutions, such as the Asian Development Bank, the Central American Bank for Economic Integration, the InterAmerican Development Bank, and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development.

Taiwan is fully committed to observing the premise of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and to its integration into international human rights systems, spearheaded by the United Nations.

It is for that reason, Mr. Speaker, that this resolution is here before us. Taiwan's quest for self-determination is something that the United States of America has traditionally and consistently supported. That support and that goal of self-determination is critical as the world watches a truly democratic and economic success story unfolding before our very eyes in Taiwan.

It is at this point in time that I urge my colleagues to adopt this resolution which I have introduced to once again restate our support and our commitment to the progress of democracy, the progress of free markets, the progress of a pro-American attitude and sentiment that we see in Taiwan today that is important not only for freedom-loving people in Taiwan, but also important for America's' national and strategic interests, as well.

I might also add, Mr. Speaker, there are millions and millions of Taiwan immigrants here in the United States whose dream for their homeland is the kind of democracy and liberty which they sought in coming to the United States. It is a dream that is born by the greatness of the United States, and in this way, I think this Congress can play a tremendous role in helping not only Taiwanese Americans but also certainly those who are fighting for freedom and liberty and democracy in Taiwan today have the greatest opportunity to secure their hopes and dreams for themselves and for the world.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. BROWN of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. SCHAFFER. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks on H. Con. Res. 390.

The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from Colorado?

There was no objection.

Mr. SCHAFFER. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.

The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the gentleman from California (Mr. Rohrabacher) that the House suspend the rules and agree to the concurrent resolution, H. Con. Res. 390, as amended.

The question was taken; and (two-thirds having voted in favor thereof) the rules were suspended and the concurrent resolution, as amended, was agreed to.

The title was amended so as to read:

Concurrent resolution expressing the sense of the Congress regarding Taiwan's participation in the United Nations and other international organizations.

A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.