Political Quotes

“I support S. 812, which came to us from the Senate, and which calls for the Administration to develop a strategy for Taiwan to regain observer status at the World Health Organization. As we know, Taiwan stands as a beacon of democracy in Asia--and indeed, an example for much of the world--and offers a stark contrast to the totalitarian model of Xi Jinping across the Taiwan Strait in Mainland China. As a result, the People's Republic of China has doubled down on its longstanding efforts to delegitimize Taiwan and keep it from participating in international organizations. As we rediscovered in 2020, however, a deadly virus doesn't play politics, and crosses borders without regard to diplomatic niceties. To kowtow to Communist China and exclude Taiwan from having even an observer status at the World Health Organization is to play politics with global health. It is especially galling when one recalls that pernicious misrepresentations were made by the PRC to the World Health Organization at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the warnings sounded by Taiwan as to the true nature and origins of the pandemic were ignored by the WHO. Mr. Speaker, I also want to note that I, along with my colleague from New Jersey, Jeff Van Drew, also introduced legislation last year, H.R. 1775, to provide for a vehicle for victims of State misrepresentations to the World Health Organization to seek redress using US courts. I urge my colleagues to support S.…”