Some good news to share with our friends. The bill still has to be voted on the Senate Floor. However, we do expect an easy pass. (  from Peter)

For Immediate Release April 29, 2004

SENATE FOREIGN RELATIONS COMMITTEE

PASSES "WHO FOR TAIWAN" BILL

On April 29, 2004, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee passed legislation (S2092), concluding: The Secretary of State is authorized to--

(1) initiate a United States plan to endorse and obtain observer status for Taiwan at the annual week-long summit of the World Health Assembly in May 2004 in Geneva, Switzerland;

(2) instruct the United States delegation to the World Health Assembly in Geneva to implement that plan; and

(3) introduce a resolution in support of observer status for Taiwan at the summit of the World Health Assembly.

(c) REPORT- Not later than 14 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State shall submit a report to Congress in unclassified form describing the action taken to carry out the plan described in subsection (b).

The bill was introduced on February 12 by the following 11 Senators: George Allen (R-VA), James Inhofe (R-OK), Tim Johnson (D-SD), Jon Kyl (R-AZ), Joe Lieberman (D-CT), Trent Lott (R-MS), Richard Durbin (D-IL), George Voinovich (R-OH), Susan Collins (R-ME), Mike Crapo (R-ID) and Kit Bond (R-MO).

The bill will now move to the full Senate for consideration.

Senator George Allen (R-VA), who is leading the "WHO For Taiwan" effort in the Senate, stated upon passage of the bill: "It would be tantamount to medical malpractice to exclude Taiwan from participation in the assessment, treatment and cure of the world's dangerous diseases." (See: below for transcript Press Release.)

According to FAPA President Ming-chi Wu, Ph.D.: "Right before he left China earlier this month, WHO Director General Lee made the comment that he does not welcome Taiwan's participation in the WHO. Soon thereafter, SARS reared its head in China. With Taiwan's geographic proximity to China, Taiwan can not be excluded from the WHO any longer. It is high time that the WHO let Taiwan in next month."

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

April 29, 2004

Contact: John Reid

Director of Communications

202-224-4746

ALLEN LAUDS COMMITTEE PASSAGE OF BILL TO GRANT TAIWAN 'OBSERVER STATUS' IN THE WHO

WASHINGTON, DC - U.S. Senator George Allen (R-VA) praised the Foreign Relations Committee's passage of his resolution in support of Taiwan receiving 'observer status' in the World Health Organization's (WHO) upcoming World Health Assembly meeting, which is set to take place next month. The bill, which has already passed in the House, will now move to the full Senate for consideration.

"As Co-Chairman of the Senate Taiwan Caucus, I am pleased to again lend support in an effort to grant WHO 'observer status' to Taiwan," Allen said. "Taiwan has one of the most modern health infrastructures in the world and I believe that the entire world health community will benefit greatly from its continued participation at the World Health Assembly."

Senator Allen's legislation calls on the Secretary of State to endorse and obtain 'observer status' for Taiwan at the week-long summit of the 2004 World Health Assembly, which will be held this May, in Geneva, Switzerland. The bill includes a multi-year provision that stipulates that the U.S. will continue to endorse 'observer status' for Taiwan in future years.

"Taiwan has one of the highest life expectancy levels in Asia and a population larger than three-fourths of the existing members of the WHO," Allen said. "It would be tantamount to medical malpractice to exclude Taiwan from participation in the assessment, treatment and cure of the world's dangerous diseases."