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[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1216 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
<DOC>
119th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 1216
To support Taiwan's international space, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
March 31, 2025
Mr. Van Hollen (for himself, Mr. Curtis, and Mr. Kim) introduced the
following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on
Foreign Relations
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To support Taiwan's international space, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Taiwan Allies Fund Act''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress makes the following findings:
(1) Taiwan is a free and prosperous democracy of more than
23,000,000 people and an important contributor to peace and
stability around the world.
(2) The People's Republic of China has engaged in a years-
long campaign to diplomatically isolate Taiwan on the world
stage.
(3) Since 2013, the Gambia, Sao Tome and Principe, Panama,
the Dominican Republic, Burkina Faso, El Salvador, the Solomon
Islands, Kiribati, Nicaragua, Honduras, and, most recently in
2024, Nauru have severed diplomatic relations with Taiwan in
favor of diplomatic relations with the People's Republic of
China.
(4) The People's Republic of China has used economic and
diplomatic intimidation against countries pursuing unofficial
relations with Taiwan, including Lithuania, Czechia, and the
United States.
(5) The Taiwan Relations Act of 1979 (Public Law 96-8)
states that it is the policy of the United States ``to maintain
the capacity of the United States to resist any resort to force
or other forms of coercion that would jeopardize the security,
or the social or economic system, of the people on Taiwan''.
(6) The Taiwan Allies International Protection and
Enhancement Initiative (TAIPEI) Act of 2019 (Public Law 116-
135) states that the United States Government should--
(A) ``support Taiwan in strengthening its official
diplomatic relationships as well as other partnerships
with countries in the Indo-Pacific region and around
the world''; and
(B) ``consider, in certain cases as appropriate and
in alignment with United States interests, increasing
its economic, security, and diplomatic engagement with
nations that have demonstrably strengthened, enhanced,
or upgraded relations with Taiwan''.
SEC. 3. SENSE OF CONGRESS.
It is the sense of Congress that the United States Government
should--
(1) advocate, as appropriate, for Taiwan's presence on the
global stage, including at international organizations;
(2) promote the preservation and expansion of Taiwan's
official diplomatic relations with countries around the world;
(3) expand Taiwan's unofficial relations with countries
around the world;
(4) encourage countries with unofficial relations with
Taiwan to deepen their engagement; and
(5) advance the economic development of countries that
support democratic partners like Taiwan.
SEC. 4. TAIWAN ALLIES FUND.
(a) Authorization of Appropriations.--Of the amounts made available
under the Countering PRC Influence Fund for each of the fiscal years
2026, 2027, and 2028, there is authorized to be appropriated
$40,000,000 for each such fiscal year to support Taiwan's international
space.
(b) Eligible Countries.--Amounts available pursuant to the
authorization of appropriations under subsection (a) may be used in
countries that--
(1) maintain official relations with Taiwan or have
meaningfully strengthened unofficial relations with Taiwan;
(2) have been subject to coercion or pressure by the
People's Republic of China due to their relations with Taiwan;
and
(3) lack the economic or political capability to
effectively respond to such coercion or pressure by the
People's Republic of China without the support of the United
States.
(c) Use of Funds.--Amounts available pursuant to the authorization
of appropriations under subsection (a) may be used to support any of
the following activities in the countries described in subsection (b):
(1) To support health initiatives that provide alternatives
to the Health Silk Road.
(2) To build the capacity and resilience of civil society,
media, and other nongovernmental organizations in countering
the influence and propaganda of the People's Republic of China.
(3) To diversify supply chains away from the People's
Republic of China.
(4) To provide alternatives to People's Republic of China
development assistance and project financing.
(5) To advance Taiwan's meaningful participation in
international fora and multilateral organizations.
(6) To work with the private sector to provide United
States or allied alternatives to People's Republic of China
information and communications technology infrastructure and
components.
(d) Limitation on Funds.--A country described in subsection (b) may
not receive more than $5,000,000 of funds made available pursuant to
the authorization of appropriations under subsection (a) during any
fiscal year.
(e) Implementation.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary of State, in consultation
with the Administrator for the United States Agency for
International Development, the Director of the American
Institute in Taiwan, and the heads other relevant Federal
agencies, shall coordinate and carry out activities described
in subsection (c).
(2) Authorities.--Amounts available pursuant to the
authorization of appropriations under subsection (a) may be
considered foreign assistance under the Foreign Assistance Act
of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2151 et seq.) for purposes of making
available the administrative authorities in that Act and may be
transferred to, and merged with, funds made available for any
provision of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 to carry out
the purposes of this section, except that such funds shall
remain available until expended.
(3) Coordination with taiwan.--In order to maximize cost
efficiency and eliminate duplication, the Secretary of State,
in consultation with the Administrator for the United States
Agency for International Development, should work with the
Director of the American Institute in Taiwan to ensure
coordination with relevant parties of Taiwan, as appropriate.
(4) Cost-sharing with taiwan.--The Secretary of State
should convey to relevant parties of Taiwan, as appropriate,
that Taiwan should contribute commensurate assistance to
countries described in subsection (b).
(5) Report.--
(A) In general.--Not later than 1 year after the
date of the enactment of this Act, and annually
thereafter for two years, the Secretary of State shall
submit to the appropriate congressional committees a
report on activities described in this section that
were carried out during the preceding fiscal year.
(B) Elements.--Each report required by subparagraph
(A) shall include--
(i) with respect to each activity described
in subsection (c)--
(I) the amount of funding for the
activity;
(II) the goal to which the activity
relates; and
(III) an assessment of the success
of the activity to meet the goal to
which the activity relates; and
(ii) with respect to this subsection--
(I) the amount of funding for the
activity provided by Taiwan during the
preceding year, if any; and
(II) an assessment of whether the
funding described in subclause (I) is
commensurate with funding provided by
the United States.
(f) Rule of Construction.--Nothing in this section may be construed
to apply to or limit United States foreign assistance not provided
using amounts available pursuant to the authorization of appropriations
under subsection (a).
(g) Appropriate Congressional Committees Defined.--In this section,
the term ``appropriate congressional committees'' means--
(1) the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate; and
(2) the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of
Representatives.
<all>
Introduced in Senate
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations.
Committee on Foreign Relations. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.
Committee on Foreign Relations. Reported by Senator Risch with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. Without written report.
Committee on Foreign Relations. Reported by Senator Risch with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. Without written report.
Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 321.
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