No Who Pandemic Preparedness Treaty Without Senate Approval Act

Floor Speech

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Mr. OGLES. Mr. Chair, this amendment would make it the policy of our Nation to advocate for Taiwan's full participation in the World Health Organization.

For far too long, we have allowed Communist China to dictate the course of U.S. foreign policy as well as the agenda and membership of every major international organization, including the United Nations. This decades-long policy of global appeasement to the CCP came home to roost 4 years ago.

Decades upon decades of giving in to China has left Taiwan with fewer and fewer allies. In the late 1990s, over 30 countries recognized Taiwan. Now, the number is down to 12. Much of the world has placed Taiwan in the company of pariah states like North Korea and Iran.

Because the world allowed the PRC's pressure campaign against Taiwan to succeed, no one listened when Taiwan tried to warn the World Health Organization of possible human-to-human transmission of the coronavirus on December 31, 2019. No one listened to them when Taiwanese health experts visited Wuhan and found indications of human-to-human transmission in mid-January 2020. In fact, at the same time, the WHO released a statement declaring no clear evidence of human-to-human transmission of the coronavirus.

Mr. Chair, we lost weeks. We lost weeks of preparation against the ravaging effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on our Nation all because Communist China told the world that under no circumstance could Taiwan be given a seat at the table at the World Health Organization.

We can only guess how many untold thousands of American lives were lost as a result. We do know, however, that decade after decade of U.S. foreign policymaking has prioritized appeasing the PRC over the security of the American people, and it needs to stop.

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Mr. OGLES. Mr. Chair, I appreciate the comments of my colleague because we should show our support and allegiance to Taiwan, nor should we placate the People's Republic of China regarding Taiwan. We are, in fact, making war more likely, not less, if we allow the Chinese Communist Party to have influence over our policy on such things as Taiwan's participation in the WHO.

We cannot and should not surrender our national sovereignty out of fear. This is the definition of weakness, and weakness invites aggression. If the Communists in Beijing don't think we have established a credible deterrence, they will attack Taiwan. They will consider attacking Taiwan.

I know my colleagues and I agree that Taiwan is an ally to the people and nations of good around the world. They want to work with the United States. They want to help, as they did in April 2020 when Taiwan provided free personal protective equipment to our Nation at a time when it was scarce.

Communist China, on the other hand, would rather cover up a deadly virus, wasting weeks and resulting in the deaths of untold hundreds of thousands if not millions. They are more worried about their reputation. That is an atrocity. It is appalling, and we need to recognize the fact that the existential threat to the United States of America is China. At every turn, they work to undermine us, and I, for one, have had enough.

Mr. Chair, I thank Chairman McCaul for his support, and I urge adoption of my amendment. I yield back the balance of my time.

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Mr. OGLES. Mr. Chair, I demand a recorded vote.

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