III. LEGISLATION CONSIDERED BY THE COMMITTEE Among the legislation considered by the Committee on Foreign Affairs during the 96th Congress were the following measures which became public law: Annual authorizations of appropriations for international development and security assistance programs, the Department of State, the International Communication Agency, the Board for International Broadcasting, the Arms Control and Disarmament Agency, and the Peace Corps. Other important measures that became public law were: the Export Administration Act Amendments of 1979; a Special International Security Assistance Act of 1979 to provide for the implementation of funds for the Middle East Peace Treaty; an additional authorization for migration and refugee assistance; a bill providing assistance to victims of the Cambodian famine; a bill to provide disaster assistance funds for the Caribbean hurricane victims; a bill which provided for major reforms in the Foreign Service; a bill providing relief for the American hostages in Iran; an authorization for special assistance to Nicaragua; a bill authorizing OPIC operations in the People's Republic of China; and a bill providing disaster assistance to victims of the earthquake in Southern Italy. Bills and resolutions referred to the committee during the 96th Congress covered a wide range of subjects bearing on U.S. foreign policy. Among legislative subjects receiving consideration by the committee were: Concurrent resolutions dealing with the subject of human rights in various countries; legislation dealing with the repeal of sanctions against Zimbabwe-Rhodesia; legislation providing for major reforms in the intelligence process; and a bill to promote the expansion of exporters of U.S. goods. (17) IV. MEASURES ENACTED INTO LAW A. 1979 1. United States-Taiwan Relations Act-H.R. 2479 (by Mr. Zablocki, for himself, and Representatives Wright, Fountain, Fascell, Diggs, Rosenthal, Hamilton, Wolff, Bingham, Yatron, Solarz, Bonker, Pease, Mica, Barnes, Gray, Hall of Ohio, Wolpe, Bowen, Fithian, Broomfield, Derwinski, Findley, Buchanan, Winn, Gilman, Guyer, Pritchard, and Fenwick On December 15, 1978, President Carter announced agreement by the United States and the People's Republic of China to recognize each other and to establish diplomatic relations as of January 1, 1979. In a joint communique, the United States recognized the Government of the People's Republic of China as "the sole legal government of China," but stated that "the people of the United States will maintain cultural, commercial, and other unofficial relations with the people of Taiwan." The exchange of Ambassadors and establishment of embassies was set for March 1, 1979. In furtherance of a policy of maintaining relations with Taiwan without official Government representation and without diplomatic relations, and pending enactment of legislation on the subject, the President issued a memorandum to all U.S. Government departments and agencies. The Presidential memorandum directed the departments and agencies to continue to conduct programs, transactions and other relations with Taiwan; it stated that existing international agreements and arrangements with Taiwan would remain in force; it ordered that laws, regulations or orders of the United States which refer to a foreign country, state, government or similar entity be construed to apply to Taiwan; and it directed that U.S. interests will be represented, as appropriate, by an unofficial instrumentality in corporate form. On January 16, 1979, an entity was incorporated under the laws of the District of Columbia to serve as this instrumentality. It was named "The American Institute in Taiwan." The President subsequently, on January 26, 1979, transmitted to Congress a draft bill to provide for legislative implementation of the above policy in regard to continuing relations with Taiwan. The bill was introduced on January 29, as H.R. 1614, by Chairman Zablocki, by request, and referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs. The full committee heard testimony from such witnesses as Secretary of State Cyrus Vance, and Warren Christopher, Deputy Secretary of State, and Ambassador Leonard Unger, former Ambassador to the Republic of China on February 5, 7, and 8, 1979. Following the hearings of the full committee, the Subcommittee on Asian and Pacific Affairs held public sessions on February 14 and 15, at which executive branch and public witnesses testified. During the hearings, various shortcomings in the administrati legislation were discussed and additional and alternative provis were suggested. Chairman Zablocki subsequently circulated ame committee members a new draft bill which was designed to re the deficiencies and reflect views expressed by members, while providing the President with the requested authority. On February 1979, the full committee met in morning and afternoon markup sions, using the new draft as its markup document. The following February 28, H.R. 2479, a clean bill reflecting the committee's actin markup, was introduced by Chairman Zablocki with 28 cospons and the bill was ordered reported by the committee. T subs Ma req Ser ᎢᏂ and Mi 15. it fe M 01 of be The purpose of H.R. 2479, the United States-Taiwan Relations si was to help maintain peace, security, and stability in the Weste Pacific and to promote continued extensive, close and friendly tions between the American people and the people of Taiwan. bill combined in one package a declaration of principles gover U.S. policy toward Taiwan, protection of Taiwan security, and legislative framework for carrying forward the full range of relationships with Taiwan in the absence of diplomatic ties. It stress continuity of U.S. dealings with Taiwan in the future in the s manner as before January 1, 1979, with the exception of formal g ernment-to-government relations. Provisions and declarations in t bill included: (1) peace and stability in the Western Pacific are the U.S. political, security, and economic interest and must be main tained; (2) Taiwan's future must be determined by peaceful mean without prejudice to the well-being of the people on Taiwan; (3) th United States will make available to Taiwan defense articles an services for its defense against armed attack. If Taiwan's security threatened, the President shall promptly inform the Congress of an danger to U.S. interests, and the President and Congress shall deter mine appropriate action in accord with constitutional processes; (4) U.S. laws and programs will continue to apply with respect to Taiwa as if derecognition had not taken place; (5) all treaties and inter national agreements between the United States and the Republic of China which were in force on December 31, 1978 will continue in for unless terminated under their own terms or otherwise in accordance with U.S. laws; (6) U.S. Government dealings with Taiwan shall be conducted through a nongovernmental entity which the President designates; and (7) Taiwan dealings with the U.S. Government shall be conducted through an instrumentality established by Taiwan in agreement with the President. H.R. 2479 was considered on the House floor on March 8 and 13 1979. During the two days of consideration several amendments com cerning continued U.S. interest in maintaining the security of Taiwan were adopted. Additional amendments agreed upon concerned the in clusion of Taiwan in the antiboycott provisions of the Expor ministration Act and a provision guaranteeing congressional ov of the implementation of the provisions of this legislation, the tion of the designated entity, the legal and technical aspects Taiwan relations, and U.S. policy concernin East Asia. On March 13, 1979, H.R. 2 of 245 yeas to 55 nays. Senate passed H.R. 2479 by a vote of 90 yeas to 6 nays, after tuting the language of S. 245, as passed by the Senate, on 1 14, 1979. That same day, the Senate insisted on its amendments, sted a conference with the House and appointed as conferees: Cors Church, Pell, Glenn, Biden, Stone, Javits, Percy, and Helms. House disagreed to the Senate amendment, agreed to a conference ppointed as conferees: Representative Zablocki, Fascell, Wolff, Hall of Ohio, Broomfield, Derwinski, and Findley on March 979. Le conferees met on March 19 and 20, 1979. During this period came evident that the principal objectives of the two bills were ar, the differences being secondary. After agreeing to file a conice report on March 20, the report was filed in the House on ch 24, 1979. The House agreed to the conference report by a vote 39 yeas to 50 nays on March 28, and the Senate by a vote of 85 to 4 nays on March 29, 1979. The U.S.-Taiwan Relations Act me Public Law 96-8 on April 10, 1979 upon Presidential approval. Legislative history Feb. 27, 1979-Draft legislation, incorporating staff recommendations, and elements of H.R. 1614 and H.J. Res. 167, considered in open markup session by full committee, amended, and clean bill ordered introduced. Feb. 28, 1979-H.R. 2479 considered in open session by full committee, and ordered favorably reported by voice vote. Feb. 28, 1979-Rule requested. Mar. 3, 1979-Reported. House Report 96-26. Mar. 6, 1979-Hearing on request for rule. Rule granted. H. Res. 148. Mar. 8, 1979-Considered in House and amended. Mar. 13, 1979-Passed House, amended, by vote of 345 yeas to 55 nays, Mar. 14, 1979-Passed Senate by a vote of 90 yeas to 6 nays, after being Mar. 19, 1979-Conferees met. Mar. 20, 1979-Conferees met and agreed to file conference report. Mar. 29, 1979-Senate agreed to conference report by a vote of 85 Apr. 10, 1979-Approved. Public Law 96-8. . International Development Cooperation Act of 1979-H.R. 3324 Mr. Zablocki, for himself, and Representatives Fascell, Wolff, Bingham, Solarz, Pease, Barnes, Gray, Winn, Gilman, and Fenwick) request for foreign economic assistance fiscal years 1980 and 1981 was transmitted 28, 1979, in the form of a draft bill which ), by request, by the chairman of the com |