William Helms: “let me spend just 2 or 3 minutes in respectful response to my friend from Massachusetts. His statement that the Taiwan…”

“let me spend just 2 or 3 minutes in respectful response to my friend from Massachusetts. His statement that the Taiwan Relations Act, which is a public law passed by the Congress of the United States, supersedes an Executive order, that is a matter of fact. The United States Congress was clear in its intent to support Taiwan's defense needs when this Taiwan Relations Act was passed. The 1982 Executive order, referring to the ability of the United States to sell arms to Taiwan, seems to contradict certain terms of the Taiwan Relations Act. Now then, section 1601 does not--does not-- repudiate the 1982 Executive order, though I confess that I wish it did. It does, however, clarify that in those instances in which the Taiwan Relations Act and the 1982 Executive order seem to contradict one another, the Taiwan Relations Act is, after all, United States law, therefore, stipulates the policy to which the United States should and must adhere. Not once--this is the point, Mr. President--not once during the course of the conference between the House and the Senate did a single Member of the House or a single Member of the Senate raise this provision as a problem.”