US Representative Andy Barr, who cochairs the Congressional Taiwan Caucus, on Tuesday said that he would attend the inauguration of president-elect William Lai (賴清德) in May.
Barr, who along with dozens of other lawmakers in January introduced a resolution commending Taiwan for its democratic elections, also voiced support for Taiwan and its people at a news conference organized by the Taiwanese Chambers of Commerce of North America.
“It’s so important, I mean, just say for deterrence, cross-strait deterrence, that we have economic interdependence and economic integration with the wonderful free people of Taiwan,” he said.
Photo: CNA
Barr said that he and fellow lawmakers across party lines are collaborating to support democracy in Taiwan, focusing on enhancing deterrence measures in Taiwan and the US, as well as boosting economic ties between the two sides.
US Representative Michael McCaul, chairman of the US House of Representatives Committee on Foreign Affairs, last week said that he would also visit Taiwan soon.
Also at Tuesday’s news conference were US representatives Keith Self, Young Kim and Jasmine Crockett.
Describing herself as a “badass advocate” for Taiwan, Kim said that one of her priorities was to counter the increasingly frequent aggressive actions of the Chinese Communist Party.
Kim, who chairs the House Subcommittee on the Indo-Pacific, said she would work to ensure Taiwan is given the military equipment it needs before Beijing makes a move.
Separately, US Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell on Tuesday urged House Speaker Mike Johnson to hold a vote on a US$95 billion security assistance package for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan.
“I want to encourage the speaker again to allow a vote,” McConnell told reporters at his weekly news briefing. “Let the House speak.”
McConnell was also asked about a proposal to offer assistance to Ukraine as a loan, not a grant.
He said that it is important to act quickly, which would mean not changing legislation that the US Senate passed last month.
“The only way to get relief to the Ukrainians and the Israelis quickly is for the House to figure out how to pass the Senate bill,” he said. “Anything that’s changed and sent back here, as you all know, even the simplest thing can take a week in the Senate. We don’t have time for all of this. We’ve got a bill that got 70 votes in the Senate. Give members of the House of Representatives an opportunity to vote on it. That’s the solution.”
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