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This bill would require the State Department to regularly review and update its written guidance on how the U.S. government handles relations with Taiwan. At least once every five years, the department would have to check that guidance, reissue it to executive branch agencies, and send an updated report to Congress soon after. The goal is to make sure U.S. policy on Taiwan stays current and that Congress is kept informed about any changes.
- The State Department would have to do a review of its Taiwan guidance at least every five years for as long as that guidance remains in use.
- After each review, the department would need to reissue the guidance to executive branch departments and agencies.
- Within 90 days of finishing each review, the Secretary of State would have to send an updated report to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and the House Foreign Affairs Committee.
- Those reports would need to include the information already required by current law, plus an explanation of how the updated guidance supports the law’s goals.
Official Summaries
Taiwan Assurance Implementation Act
This bill expands an existing requirement for the Department of State to review and report on its guidance to federal agencies on the U.S.-Taiwan relationship. (The U.S.-Taiwan relationship has been unofficial since 1979, when the United States established diplomatic relations with China and broke them with Taiwan.)
Current law requires the State Department to conduct a one-time review of its guidance governing relations with Taiwan and report to Congress on this review. Under this bill, the State Department must review that guidance, reissue it, and report to Congress every five years while the guidance is in effect.
The reports to Congress must (1) describe the results of the guidance review and any changes to it resulting from implementation of a law that encourages engagement between Taiwanese and U.S. officials; (2) describe how the guidance takes into account certain considerations, such as the sense of Congress that Taiwan is governed by a representative government peacefully constituted through free and fair elections; and (3) identify self-imposed restrictions on relations with Taiwan that the State Department has lifted in its most recent guidance update.
Current Full Text
[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 821 Reported in Senate (RS)]
<DOC>
Calendar No. 52
119th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 821
To provide for increased reporting regarding Department of State Taiwan
guidelines.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
March 3, 2025
Mr. Cornyn (for himself and Mr. Coons) introduced the following bill;
which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations
April 28, 2025
Reported by Mr. Risch, with an amendment
[Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed
in italic]
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To provide for increased reporting regarding Department of State Taiwan
guidelines.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
<DELETED>SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.</DELETED>
<DELETED> This Act may be cited as the ``Taiwan Assurance
Implementation Act''.</DELETED>
<DELETED>SEC. 2. INCREASED REPORTING REGARDING DEPARTMENT OF STATE
TAIWAN GUIDELINES.</DELETED>
<DELETED> Section 315 of the Taiwan Assurance Act of 2020 (subtitle
B of title III of division FF of Public Law 116-260; 134 Stat. 3100) is
amended--</DELETED>
<DELETED> (1) in subsection (c)(1), by inserting ``and any
successor document or related document that includes guidance
on relations with Taiwan'' after ``memorandum''; and</DELETED>
<DELETED> (2) by adding at the end the following new
subsection:</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(d) Periodic Reviews and Updated Reports.--</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(1) In general.--For as long as the Department
of State maintains guidance that governs relations with Taiwan
as described in subsection (a), the Secretary of State shall--
</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(A) not less than once every five years,
conduct a review of the Department of State's guidance
that governs relations with Taiwan, including the
periodic memorandum entitled, `Guidelines on Relations
with Taiwan' and related documents, and reissue such
guidance to executive branch departments and agencies;
and</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(B) not later than 90 days after
completing a review required by paragraph (1)(A),
submit an updated report to the Committee on Foreign
Relations of the Senate and the Committee on Foreign
Affairs of the House of Representatives.</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(2) Matters to be included.--The updated reports
required under paragraph (1)(B) shall include--</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(A) all the information required under
subsection (c);</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(B) a description of how the updated
guidance meets the goals and objectives described in
subsection (b); and</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(C) an identification of self-imposed
restrictions on relations with Taiwan lifted by the
Secretary of State in the most recent updated guidance,
including the periodic memorandum entitled `Guidelines
on Relations with Taiwan' and related
documents.''.</DELETED>
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Taiwan Assurance Implementation
Act''.
SEC. 2. INCREASED REPORTING REGARDING DEPARTMENT OF STATE TAIWAN
GUIDELINES.
Section 315 of the Taiwan Assurance Act of 2020 (subtitle B of
title III of division FF of Public Law 116-260; 134 Stat. 3100) is
amended--
(1) in subsection (c)(1), by inserting ``and any successor
document or related document that includes guidance on
relations with Taiwan'' after ``memorandum''; and
(2) by adding at the end the following new subsection:
``(d) Periodic Reviews and Updated Reports.--
``(1) In general.--For as long as the Department of State
maintains guidance that governs relations with Taiwan as
described in subsection (a), the Secretary of State shall--
``(A) not less than every five years, conduct a
review of the Department of State's guidance that
governs relations with Taiwan, including the periodic
memorandum entitled, `Guidelines on Relations with
Taiwan' and related documents, and reissue such
guidance to executive branch departments and agencies;
and
``(B) not later than 90 days after completing a
review required by paragraph (1)(A), submit an updated
report to the Committee on Foreign Relations of the
Senate and the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the
House of Representatives.
``(2) Matters to be included.--The updated reports required
under paragraph (1)(B) shall include--
``(A) all the information required under subsection
(c); and
``(B) a description of how the updated guidance
meets the goals and objectives described in subsection
(b).''.
Calendar No. 52
119th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 821
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To provide for increased reporting regarding Department of State Taiwan
guidelines.
_______________________________________________________________________
April 28, 2025
Reported with an amendment