SUBCHAPTER XX—WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION
§290. Acceptance of membership by the United States
The President is hereby authorized to accept membership for the United States in the World Health Organization (hereinafter referred to as the Organization), the constitution of which was adopted in New York on July 22, 1946, by the International Health Conference for the establishment of an International Health Organization, and deposited in the archives of the United Nations.
(June 14, 1948, ch. 469, §1,
Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
Participation of Taiwan in the World Health Organization
"(a)
"(1) Good health is important to every citizen of the world and access to the highest standards of health information and services is necessary to improve the public health.
"(2) Direct and unobstructed participation in international health cooperation forums and programs is beneficial for all parts of the world, especially today with the great potential for the cross-border spread of various infectious diseases such as the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), tuberculosis, and malaria.
"(3) Taiwan's population of 23,500,000 people is greater than that of ¾ of the member states already in the World Health Organization (WHO).
"(4) Taiwan's achievements in the field of health are substantial, including—
"(A) attaining—
"(i) 1 of the highest life expectancy levels in Asia; and
"(ii) maternal and infant mortality rates comparable to those of western countries;
"(B) eradicating such infectious diseases as cholera, smallpox, the plague, and polio; and
"(C) providing children with hepatitis B vaccinations.
"(5) The United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and its counterpart agencies in Taiwan have enjoyed close collaboration on a wide range of public health issues.
"(6) In recent years Taiwan has expressed a willingness to assist financially and technically in international aid and health activities supported by the WHO.
"(7) On January 14, 2001, an earthquake, registering between 7.6 and 7.9 on the Richter scale, struck El Salvador. In response, the Taiwanese Government sent 2 rescue teams, consisting of 90 individuals specializing in firefighting, medicine, and civil engineering. The Taiwanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs also donated $200,000 in relief aid to the Salvadoran Government.
"(8) The World Health Assembly has allowed observers to participate in the activities of the organization, including the Palestine Liberation Organization in 1974, the Order of Malta, and the Holy See in the early 1950's.
"(9) The United States, in the 1994 Taiwan Policy Review, declared its intention to support Taiwan's participation in appropriate international organizations.
"(10)
"(11) In light of all benefits that Taiwan's participation in the WHO can bring to the state of health not only in Taiwan, but also regionally and globally, Taiwan and its 23,500,000 people should have appropriate and meaningful participation in the WHO.
"(12) On May 11, 2001, President Bush stated in a letter to Senator Murkowski that the United States 'should find opportunities for Taiwan's voice to be heard in international organizations in order to make a contribution, even if membership is not possible', further stating that the administration 'has focused on finding concrete ways for Taiwan to benefit and contribute to the WHO'.
"(13) In his speech made in the World Medical Association on May 14, 2002, Secretary of Health and Human Services Tommy Thompson announced 'America's work for a healthy world cuts across political lines. That is why my government supports Taiwan's efforts to gain observership status at the World Health Assembly. We know this is a controversial issue, but we do not shrink from taking a public stance on it. The people of Taiwan deserve the same level of public health as citizens of every nation on earth, and we support them in their efforts to achieve it'.
"(14) The Government of the Republic of China on Taiwan, in response to an appeal from the United Nations and the United States for resources to control the spread of HIV/AIDS, donated $1,000,000 to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria in December 2002.
"(15) In 2003, the outbreak of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) caused 84 deaths in Taiwan.
"(16) Avian influenza, commonly known as bird flu, has reemerged in Asia, with strains of the influenza reported by the People's Republic of China, Cambodia, Indonesia, Japan, Pakistan, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam, and Laos.
"(17) The SARS and avian influenza outbreaks illustrate that disease knows no boundaries and emphasize the importance of allowing all people access to the WHO.
"(18) As the pace of globalization quickens and the spread of infectious disease accelerates, it is crucial that all people, including the people of Taiwan, be given the opportunity to participate in international health organizations such as the WHO.
"(19) The Secretary of Health and Human Services acknowledged during the 2003 World Health Assembly meeting that '[t]he need for effective public health exists among all peoples'.
"(b)
"(1) initiate a United States plan to endorse and obtain observer status for Taiwan at the annual week-long summit of the World Health Assembly each year in Geneva, Switzerland;
"(2) instruct the United States delegation to the World Health Assembly in Geneva to implement that plan; and
"(3) introduce a resolution in support of observer status for Taiwan at the summit of the World Health Assembly.
"(c)
"(1) An account of the efforts the Secretary of State has made, following the last meeting of the World Health Assembly, to encourage WHO member states to promote Taiwan's bid to obtain observer status.
"(2) The steps the Secretary of State will take to endorse and obtain observer status at the next annual meeting of the World Health Assembly in Geneva, Switzerland.
"(3) An account of the changes and improvements the Secretary of State has made to the United States plan to endorse and obtain observer status for Taiwan at the World Health Assembly, following any annual meetings of the World Health Assembly at which Taiwan did not obtain observer status."
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Executive Documents
International Health Administration
Ex. Ord. No. 10399, Sept. 29, 1952, 17 F.R. 8648, designated Surgeon General to perform certain duties under International Sanitary Regulations of World Health Organization.
§290a. Designation of representatives and alternates; compensation; loyalty checkup
The President shall designate from time to time to attend a specified session or specified sessions of the World Health Assembly of the Organization not to exceed three delegates of the United States and such number of alternates as he may determine consistent with the rules of procedure of the World Health Assembly. One of the delegates shall be designated as the chief delegate. Whenever the United States becomes entitled to designate a person to serve on the Executive Board of the Organization, under article 24 of the constitution of the Organization, the President shall designate a representative of the United States, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, and may designate not to exceed one alternate to attend sessions of the Executive Board. Such representative must be a graduate of a recognized medical school and have spent not less than three years in active practice as a physician or surgeon. Such representative and any such alternate shall each be entitled to receive compensation at one of the rates established under
(June 14, 1948, ch. 469, §2,
Editorial Notes
Amendments
1980—
1962—
1952—Act Apr. 5, 1952, substituted "Civil Service Commission" for "Federal Bureau of Investigation".
Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
Effective Date of 1980 Amendment
Amendment by
Effective Date of 1962 Amendment
Amendment by
Executive Documents
Transfer of Functions
"Director of the Office of Personnel Management" substituted in text for "Civil Service Commission" pursuant to Reorg. Plan No. 2 of 1978, §102, 43 F.R. 36037,
§290b. Authorization of appropriations; payment of salaries and expenses
There are hereby authorized to be appropriated to the Department of State for contribution to the working capital fund of the organization the sum of $560,000 and as annual appropriations the following:
(a) such sums as may be necessary for the payment by the United States of its share of the expenses of the Organization as apportioned by the Health Assembly in accordance with article 56 of the constitution of the Organization, except that payments by the United States for any fiscal year of the Organization after 1958 shall not exceed 331/3 per centum of the total assessments of active members of the Organization for such fiscal year; and
(b) such additional sums, not to exceed $83,000 for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 1947, as may be necessary to pay the expenses incident to participation by the United States in the activities of the Organization, including—
(1) salaries of the representative and alternate provided for in
(2) such other expenses as the Secretary of State deems necessary to participation by the United States in the activities of the Organization: Provided, That the provisions of
(June 14, 1948, ch. 469, §3,
Editorial Notes
References in Text
Subchapter XVII [§287m et seq.] of this chapter, referred to in subsec. (b)(2), was in the original a reference to the Act of July 30, 1946, Public Law 565, Seventy-ninth Congress.
Codification
In subsec. (b)(1), "
In subsec. (b)(1), "
In subsec. (b)(1), "
Amendments
1955—Subsec. (a). Act July 8, 1955, removed limitation of $3,000,000 which may be appropriated annually, and limited payments by United States to not more than 331/3 per centum of total assessments.
1950—Opening par. amended by Joint Res. Sept. 21, 1950, §1(d)(1), to provide for a contribution of $560,000 to working capital fund.
Subsec. (a). Joint Res. Sept. 21, 1950, §1(d)(2), increased authorized annual appropriation from $1,920,000 to $3,000,000.
1949—Subsec. (b)(1). Act Oct. 28, 1949, substituted "Classification Act of 1949" for "Classification Act of 1923".
Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
Repeals
Act Oct. 28, 1949, ch. 782, cited as a credit to this section, was repealed (subject to a savings clause) by
Annual Appropriations
Annual appropriations to meet the obligations of membership in various international organizations were contained in acts listed in a note set out under
Limitation of Contributions
Contributions by United States, except for special projects, limited to amount provided by Joint Res. Sept. 21, 1950; consent by State Department and reports to Congress, see
§290c. Withdrawal from Organization on one-year notice
In adopting this subchapter the Congress does so with the understanding that, in the absence of any provision in the World Health Organization Constitution for withdrawal from the Organization, the United States reserves its right to withdraw from the Organization on a one-year notice: Provided, however, That the financial obligations of the United States to the Organization shall be met in full for the Organization's current fiscal year.
(June 14, 1948, ch. 469, §4,
§290d. Enactment of specific legislation by Congress
In adopting this subchapter, the Congress does so with the understanding that nothing in the Constitution of the World Health Organization in any manner commits the United States to enact any specific legislative program regarding any matters referred to in said Constitution.
(June 14, 1948, ch. 469, §5,
§290e. Congressional declaration of policy
The Congress of the United States, recognizing that the diseases of mankind, because of their widespread prevalence, debilitating effects, and heavy toll in human life, constitute a major deterrent to the efforts of many peoples to develop their economic resources and productive capacities, and to improve their living conditions, declares it to be the policy of the United States to continue and strengthen mutual efforts among the nations for research against diseases such as heart disease and cancer. In furtherance of this policy, the Congress invites the World Health Organization to initiate studies looking toward the strengthening of research and related programs against these and other diseases common to mankind or unique to individual regions of the globe.
(June 14, 1948, ch. 469, §6, as added
§290e–1. International Agency for Research on Cancer; authorization of appropriations; limitation
There are hereby authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be necessary for the annual payment by the United States of its share of the expenses of the International Agency for Research on Cancer as determined in accordance with article VIII of the Statute of the International Agency for Research on Cancer, except that in no event shall that payment for any year exceed 16 per centum of all contributions assessed Participating Members of the Agency for that year.