H.R. 10

1

RESOLUTION SUPPORTING PARTICIPATION
2 OF TAIWAN IN WORLD HEALTH
3 ORGANIZATION
4 2005 GENERAL SESSION
5 STATE OF UTAH
6 Sponsor: Bradley G. Last
7
8 LONG TITLE
9 General Description:
10 This resolution of the House of Representatives urges the Bush Administration to
11 support Taiwan's participation in the World Health Organization.
12 Highlighted Provisions:
13 This resolution:
14 . urges the Bush Administration to support Taiwan in obtaining appropriate and
15 meaningful participation in the World Health Organization (WHO); and
16 . urges that United States' policy should include the pursuit of an initiative in the
17 WHO which will give Taiwan meaningful participation in the manner that is
18 consistent with the organization's requirements.
19 Special Clauses:
20 None
21
22 Be it resolved by the House of Representatives of the state of Utah:
23 WHEREAS, the World Health Organization's (WHO) Constitution states that "The
24 objective of the World Health Organization shall be the attainment by all peoples of the highest
25 possible level of health";
26 WHEREAS, this position demonstrates that the WHO is obligated to reach all peoples
27 throughout the world, regardless of state or national boundaries;

28 WHEREAS, the WHO Constitution permits a wide variety of entities, including
29 nonmember states, international organizations, national organizations, and nongovernmental
30 organizations, to participate in the activities of the WHO;
31 WHEREAS, five entities, for example, have acquired the status of observer of the
32 World Health Assembly (WHA) and are routinely invited to its assemblies;
33 WHEREAS, both the WHO Constitution and the International Covenant of Economic,
34 Social, and Cultural Rights (ICESCR) declare that health is an essential element of human
35 rights and that no signatory shall impede on the health rights of others;
36 WHEREAS, Taiwan seeks to be invited to participate in the work of the WHA simply
37 as an observer, instead of as a full member, in order to allow the work of the WHO to proceed
38 without creating political frictions and to demonstrate Taiwan's willingness to put aside
39 political controversies for the common good of global health;
40 WHEREAS, this request is fundamentally based on professional health grounds and has
41 nothing to do with the political issues of sovereignty and statehood;
42 WHEREAS, Taiwan currently participates as a full member in organizations like the
43 World Trade Organization (WTO), Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), and several
44 other international organizations that count the People's Republic of China among their
45 membership;
46 WHEREAS, Taiwan has become an asset to all these institutions because of a flexible
47 interpretation of the terms of membership;
48 WHEREAS, closing the gap between the WHO and Taiwan is an urgent global health
49 imperative;
50 WHEREAS, the health administration of Taiwan is the only competent body possessing
51 and managing all the information on any outbreak in Taiwan of epidemics that could
52 potentially threaten global health;
53 WHEREAS, excluding Taiwan from the WHO's Global Outbreak Alert and Response
54 Network (GOARN), for example, is dangerous and self defeating from a professional
55 perspective;
56 WHEREAS, good health is a basic right for every citizen of the world and access to the
57 highest standard of health information and services is necessary to help guarantee this right;
58 WHEREAS, direct and unobstructed participation in international health cooperation

59 forms and programs is therefore crucial, especially with today's greater potential for the
60 cross-border spread of various infectious diseases through increased trade and travel;
61 WHEREAS, the WHO sets forth in the first chapter of its charter the objectives of
62 attaining the highest possible level of health for all people;
63 WHEREAS, Taiwan's population of 23 million people is larger than that of three
64 quarters of the member states already in the WHO and shares the noble goals of the
65 organization;
66 WHEREAS, Taiwan's achievements in the field of health are substantial, including one
67 of the highest life expectancy levels in Asia, maternal and infant mortality rates comparable to
68 those in western countries, the eradication of such infectious diseases as cholera, smallpox, and
69 the plague, and the first country in the world to provide children with free hepatitis B
70 vaccinations;
71 WHEREAS, Taiwan is not allowed to participate in any WHO-organized forums and
72 workshops concerning the latest technologies in the diagnosis, monitoring, and control of
73 diseases;
74 WHEREAS, in recent years both the Taiwanese Government and individual Taiwanese
75 experts have expressed a willingness to assist financially or technically in WHO-supported
76 international aid and health activities, but have ultimately been unable to render assistance;
77 WHEREAS, the WHO does allow observers to participate in the activities of the
78 organization; and
79 WHEREAS, in light of all the benefits that participation could bring to the state of
80 health of people not only in Taiwan, but also regionally and globally it seems appropriate, if
81 not imperative, for Taiwan to be involved with the WHO:
82 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the House of Representatives of the
83 state of Utah urges the Bush Administration to support Taiwan and its 23 million people in
84 obtaining appropriate and meaningful participation in the World Health Organization (WHO).
85 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the House of Representatives urges that United
86 States' policy should include the pursuit of some initiative in the WHO which would give
87 Taiwan meaningful participation in a manner that is consistent with the organization's
88 requirements.
89 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this resolution be sent to the President of

90 the United States, the United States Secretary of State, the Secretary of Health and Human
91 Services, the majority leader of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the United States
92 House of Representatives, the members of Utah's congressional delegation, the Government of
93 Taiwan, and the World Health Organization.




Legislative Review Note
as of 2-3-05 11:20 AM

Based on a limited legal review, this legislation has not been determined to have a high
probability of being held unconstitutional.

Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel