Read first time 01/21/08.   Referred to Committee on Health & Long-Term Care.

     TO THE HONORABLE GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, AND TO THE PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE AND THE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, AND TO THE SENATE AND HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE UNITED STATES, IN CONGRESS ASSEMBLED AND TO THE UNITED STATES SECRETARY OF STATE, AND TO THE UNITED STATES SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, AND TO THE UNITED STATES REPRESENTATIVE TO THE WORLD HEALTH ASSEMBLY, AND TO THE DIRECTOR-GENERAL OF THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION, AND TO THE REPRESENTATIVE OF THE TAIPEI ECONOMIC AND CULTURAL REPRESENTATIVE OFFICE IN THE UNITED STATES:
     We, your Memorialists, the Senate and House of Representatives of the State of Washington, in legislative session assembled, respectfully represent and petition as follows:
     WHEREAS, Direct and unobstructed participation in international health cooperation forums and programs is crucial for all parts of the world, especially with today's greater potential for the cross-border spread of various infectious diseases such as AIDS; and
     WHEREAS, Taiwan's achievements in the field of health care are substantial, including life expectancy levels that are some of the highest in Asia, maternal and infant mortality rates that are comparable to those of western countries, free hepatitis B vaccinations for children and the eradication of polio, cholera, smallpox, and the plague; and
     WHEREAS, The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and its Taiwanese counterpart have enjoyed close collaboration on a wide range of public health issues; and
     WHEREAS, In recent years Taiwan has expressed a willingness to assist financially and technically the international aid and health activities supported by the World Health Organization; and
     WHEREAS, Taiwan's population of 23 million is larger than that of 75 percent of World Health Organization member states; and
     WHEREAS, The United States, in its 1994 Taiwan Policy Review, declared its intention to support Taiwan's participation in appropriate international organizations; and
     WHEREAS, Taiwan's participation in the World Health Organization could bring many benefits to the state of health not only in Taiwan but also regionally and globally;
     NOW, THEREFORE, Your Memorialists respectfully pray that congress support the participation by Taiwan in a meaningful and appropriate way in the World Health Organization.
     BE IT RESOLVED, That copies of this memorial shall be immediately transmitted to the Honorable George W. Bush, President of the United States, the United States Secretary of State, the United States Secretary of Health and Human Services, the United States representative to the World Health Assembly, the Director-General of the World Health Organization, the representative of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in the United States, the President of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and each member of Congress from the State of Washington.