House
Resolution
41
-
Introduced
HOUSE
RESOLUTION
NO.
41
BY
ANDERSON
,
DRAKE
,
ARNOLD
,
MASCHER
,
S.
OLSON
,
PETERSEN
,
and
BERRY
A
Resolution
reaffirming
Iowa’s
sister-state
1
relationship
with
the
Republic
of
China
(Taiwan),
2
and
encouraging
the
United
States
government
to
3
include
Taiwan
in
the
United
States
Visa
Waiver
4
Program.
5
WHEREAS,
the
Republic
of
China
(Taiwan)
celebrates
6
its
centennial
this
year
and
its
National
Day
on
7
October
10,
2011,
joining
friends
and
compatriots
8
around
the
world
in
commemorating
100
years
since
9
its
birth
on
October
10,
1911,
as
Asia’s
first
10
Republic;
and
11
WHEREAS,
in
the
last
quarter-century,
the
Republic
12
of
China,
which
exists
today
on
Taiwan,
has
achieved
13
economic
and
social
stability,
has
been
lauded
as
a
14
beacon
of
democracy
for
Asia,
has
dramatically
improved
15
its
record
on
human
rights,
and
has
taken
great
16
steps
forward
to
enter
the
world
arena
as
a
trusted
17
partner,
provider
of
humanitarian
aid,
promoter
of
18
cultural
ties,
and
creator
of
new
technologies
and
19
businesses;
and
20
WHEREAS,
Governor
Terry
E.
Branstad
has
played
an
21
important
role
in
cementing
the
long-standing
cordial
22
relationship
between
Iowa
and
Taiwan,
and
in
1989
23
signed
the
agreement
with
Governor
Chuang-huan
Chiu
24
of
the
Taiwan
provincial
government
that
formally
25
established
sister-state
relations;
and
26
WHEREAS,
the
relationship
between
Iowa
and
Taiwan
27
-1-
LSB
2762HH
(6)
84
jr/nh
1/
3
H.R.
41
has
flourished
and
been
beneficial
ever
since,
1
particularly
with
respect
to
agricultural
trade,
2
educational
and
cultural
exchanges,
and
the
hosting
of
3
reciprocal
trade,
legislative,
and
other
delegations
4
to
promote
economic
and
cultural
ties,
including
the
5
possible
opening
of
an
Iowa
state
trade
office
in
6
Taipei;
and
7
WHEREAS,
Taiwan
is
an
invaluable
friend
and
8
partner
as
Taiwan
in
2009
ranked
as
the
United
States’
9
tenth-largest
trading
partner
and
fifth-largest
market
10
for
United
States
agricultural
goods
and
the
world’s
11
fourteenth-largest
market
for
Iowa
goods,
worth
$94.1
12
million
in
2009,
an
increase
of
9.4
percent
above
13
Iowa’s
exports
to
Taiwan
in
2008;
and
14
WHEREAS,
the
Taiwan
government
has
met
a
central
15
requirement
for
inclusion
in
the
United
States
Visa
16
Waiver
Program
by
achieving
a
low
visa-rejection
17
rate
of
less
than
3
percent
among
Taiwan
nationals
18
applying
for
visas
to
the
United
States
and
has
19
gained
visa-waiver
status
with
113
other
countries
20
including
the
European
Union,
the
United
Kingdom
and
21
Canada,
representing
96
percent
of
the
most
frequently
22
visited
countries
by
citizens
of
Taiwan,
which
is
an
23
increase
of
50
countries
of
those
granting
Taiwan
24
visa-waiver
status
in
just
two
and
one-half
years,
thus
25
symbolizing
the
growing
respect
commanded
by
Taiwan
26
internationally;
NOW
THEREFORE,
27
BE
IT
RESOLVED
BY
THE
HOUSE
OF
REPRESENTATIVES,
That
28
the
House
of
Representatives
reaffirms
its
support
of
29
the
sister-state
relations
between
Iowa
and
Taiwan;
and
30
-2-
LSB
2762HH
(6)
84
jr/nh
2/
3
H.R.
41
urges
the
United
States
government
to
include
Taiwan
in
1
the
United
States
Visa
Waiver
Program;
and
2
BE
IT
FURTHER
RESOLVED,
That
the
Chief
Clerk
of
the
3
House
shall
send
a
copy
of
this
Resolution
to
Governor
4
Terry
E.
Branstad,
United
States
Secretary
of
State
5
Hillary
Rodham
Clinton,
Junq-Tzer
Lin,
Governor
of
the
6
Taiwan
Provincial
Government,
and
the
Taipei
Economic
7
and
Cultural
Office
in
Chicago,
Illinois.
8
-3-
LSB
2762HH
(6)
84
jr/nh
3/
3