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Floor Speech

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Mr. TIFFANY. Mr. Chair, my amendment would prohibit the Department of Defense from creating, procuring, or displaying any map which depicts Taiwan as part of the territory of the People's Republic of China.

This should not be a problem since all of us know that Taiwan is not, nor has it ever been, part of Communist China. Any claims to the contrary are simply false.

Since the 1970s, America's so-called One China policy has acknowledged Beijing's bogus claims over Taiwan. This is an antiquated and dishonest policy, and it is one that we should abandon.

While my amendment will not end that misguided policy, it will at least require that the maps that we use reflect a simple reality: China is China; Taiwan is Taiwan.

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Mr. TIFFANY. Mr. Chair, I am stunned. This is the type of appeasement that gets the world in trouble. We have a long history of this, and our country is very familiar with it, going back to probably the most classic example that is taught in our history books from the 1930s, where there isn't this clear demarcation, where you do not have definitive language, like President Reagan when he said, ``Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall.''

There are times when you have to be very clear with your adversaries about where you stand. This is one of them in regard to Taiwan because Communist China would like to take over that island nation, an island nation that they never controlled. It was never under their control.

We can appease, and we will continue to see dozens, perhaps hundreds, of sorties being flown over Taiwan as aggression comes from that appeasement.

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Mr. TIFFANY. Mr. Chair, I will take the point in good faith from the gentlewoman on the other side. If you have a good instructor, they can clearly explain how China views the world. If you have a good instructor in the Department of Defense, perhaps in the military college, they can explain very clearly how China views the world. This does not preclude that in any way, but when we make a trip like I did recently with the Natural Resources Committee, and we have a map that is put before us that shows Taiwan as part of Communist China, that is just simply not the truth. That is what we were getting at.

I think this legislation is going to have strong bipartisan support, and I yield back the balance of my time.
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Mr. TIFFANY. Mr. Chair, my amendment would prevent the enforcement of several arbitrary State Department restrictions that limit communication and cooperation between U.S. officials and their counterparts in Taiwan.

These restrictions, which are imposed at the behest of Communist China, are not only counterproductive, but they actually conflict with existing U.S. law. They prevent high-ranking officials from traveling to Taiwan, which makes it more difficult for us to coordinate with military planners in Taipei.

They police language, warning American officials not to refer to Taiwan as a country or its elected leaders as a government. They even impose degrading restrictions that serve no reasonable purpose, such as a ban on displaying Taiwan's flag and the playing of Taiwan's national anthem at functions held on U.S. Government property. In essence, they are designed to prevent and limit high-level interaction between U.S. and Taiwanese officials.

Despite the fact that it has been official U.S. policy since 2018 to encourage and facilitate them, Mr. Chair, these rules do not help the United States and do not help Taiwan. The only country they help is Communist China.

These Taiwan rules, like so many elements of our failed One China policy, simply perpetuate Beijing's lies and reward their bad behavior. America does not need a permission slip from Communist China to talk to our friends and allies, and that policy should end today.

Mr. Chair, I ask for a ``yes'' vote on this amendment, and I reserve the balance of my time.

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Mr. TIFFANY. Mr. Chair, America has always done best in regard to foreign policy when we are strong and resolute. This is anything but strong and resolute.

Let me read to you from an unclassified document from the State Department: You should not refer to Taiwan as a country or to the authorities on Taiwan as a government. Instead, refer to Taiwan authorities or Taiwan counterparts. Please avoid the public display or use of any ROC symbols of sovereignty. Taiwan authorities should not wear their uniforms on U.S. Government premises unless necessary for safety reasons.

In other words, in effect, you are almost saying to them we need you to grovel. You are second-class citizens when you are interacting with the United States of America.

We should never treat a friend like that, in particular a friend like Taiwan where you see the Communist Chinese Government is working day after day and have been successful in some places, like the Solomon Islands in Central America, where they have undermined support for Taiwan.

We should be standing resolutely with Taiwan and send a very clear message. When we send a clear message to Communist China, it is important for them to hear that, but our partners, our allies around the world, also see that clear message and are more likely to be resolute, also.

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Mr. TIFFANY. Mr. Chair, if there is a point of order that is being raised here, my amendment does not change any existing law or require any new duty or determination on the part of any employee of the Department of Homeland Security. It simply prohibits the expenditure of funds in contravention of a longstanding existing law, which the Department ought to comply with already.

Mr. Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.

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