[Senate Report 113-42]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
Calendar No. 86
113th Congress Report
SENATE
1st Session 113-42
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S. 579, A BILL TO DIRECT THE SECRETARY OF STATE TO DEVELOP A STRATEGY
TO OBTAIN OBSERVER STATUS FOR TAIWAN AT THE TRIENNIAL INTERNATIONAL
CIVIL AVIATION ORGANIZATION ASSEMBLY, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES
_______
June 13, 2013.--Ordered to be printed
_______
Mr. Menendez, from the Committee on Foreign Relations,
submitted the following
REPORT
[To accompany S. 579]
The Committee on Foreign Relations, having had under
consideration the bill (S. 579) to direct the Secretary of
State to develop a strategy to obtain observer status for
Taiwan at the triennial International Civil Aviation
Organization Assembly, and for other purposes, having
considered the same, reports favorably thereon without
amendment, and recommends that the bill do pass.
CONTENTS
Page
I. Purpose..........................................................1
II. Committee Action.................................................1
III. Discussion.......................................................2
IV. Cost Estimate....................................................2
V. Evaluation of Regulatory Impact..................................3
VI. Changes in Existing Law..........................................3
I. PURPOSE
S. 579 will improve the safety of American and other air
travelers to and through Taiwan by directing the Secretary of
State to develop a plan to obtain observer status for Taiwan at
the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Assembly.
II. COMMITTEE ACTION
S. 579 was introduced by Senators Menendez and Inhofe on
March 14, 2013, and was referred to the Committee on Foreign
Relations. On May 14, 2013, the committee considered S. 579 and
ordered it reported favorably without amendment by voice vote.
III. DISCUSSION
This bill directs the Secretary of State to develop a
strategy to obtain observer status for Taiwan at the triennial
ICAO Assembly. Taiwan's airspace jurisdiction covers an area of
180,000 square nautical miles and Taiwan provides air traffic
control services to over 1,200,000 flights annually. Taiwan's
Taoyuan airport is the world's 19th largest in terms of
passenger volume, and the number of travelers between Taiwan
and the United States is likely to increase with Taiwan's entry
into the U.S. Visa Waiver Program in 2012.
Taiwan's exclusion from the ICAO since 1971 has impeded the
efforts of the Government of Taiwan to maintain civil aviation
practices that comport with evolving international standards,
due to its inability to obtain up-to-date information from the
ICAO on aviation standards and norms, secure amendments to the
organization's regulations in a timely manner, obtain
sufficient and timely information needed to prepare for the
implementation of new systems and procedures set forth by the
ICAO, receive technical assistance in implementing new
regulations, and participate in technical and academic seminars
hosted by the ICAO.
The United States, in the 1994 Taiwan Policy Review,
declared its intention to support Taiwan's participation in
appropriate international organizations and has consistently
reiterated that support. ICAO rules and existing practices
allow for the meaningful participation of noncontracting
countries as well as other bodies in its meetings and
activities through granting of observer status.
IV. COST ESTIMATE
In accordance with Rule XXVI, paragraph 11(a) of the
Standing Rules of the Senate, the committee provides this
estimate of the costs of this legislation prepared by the
Congressional Budget Office.
United States Congress,
Congressional Budget Office,
Washington, DC, May 23, 2013.
Hon. Robert Menendez,
Chairman, Committee on Foreign Relations,
U.S. Senate, Washington, DC.
Dear Mr. Chairman: The Congressional Budget Office has
prepared the enclosed cost estimate for S. 579, a bill to
direct the Secretary of State to develop a strategy to obtain
observer status for Taiwan at the triennial International Civil
Aviation Organization Assembly, and for other purposes.
If you wish further details on this estimate, we will be
pleased to provide them. The CBO staff contact is Sunita
D'Monte.
Sincerely,
Douglas W. Elmendorf.
Enclosure.
S. 579, A bill to direct the Secretary of State to develop a strategy
to obtain observer status for Taiwan at the triennial
International Civil Aviation Organization Assembly, and for
other purposes
S. 579 would require the Secretary of State to develop a
strategy to obtain observer status for Taiwan at the triennial
International Civil Aviation Organization Assembly to be held
in Montreal, Canada, in September 2013 and at other such
activities in the future. The bill would require the Secretary
to submit a report to the Congress within 30 days of enactment
describing that strategy.
CBO estimates that enacting S. 579 would result in no
significant additional costs to the federal government because
neither the strategy nor the report would add significantly to
the State Department's workload. Pay-as-you-go procedures do
not apply to this legislation because it would not affect
direct spending or revenues.
S. 579 contains no intergovernmental or private-sector
mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act and
would not affect the budgets of state, local, or tribal
governments.
The CBO staff contact for this estimate is Sunita D'Monte.
The estimate was approved by Theresa Gullo, Deputy Assistant
Director for Budget Analysis.
V. EVALUATION OF REGULATORY IMPACT
Pursuant to Rule XXVI, paragraph 11(b) of the Standing
Rules of the Senate, the committee has determined that there is
no regulatory impact as a result of this legislation.
VI. CHANGES IN EXISTING LAW
In compliance with Rule XXVI, paragraph 12 of the Standing
Rules of the Senate, the committee notes that S. 579, as
reported, makes no changes in existing law.