Senators push for high-level visits

Representative David Wu (吳振偉) -- who was born in Taiwan -- praised the bill.

"Almost any person born and raised in Taiwan has the freedom to travel to the United States," Wu said.

"But when a person is chosen through democratic elections to become the leader of the Taiwanese people, this freedom is inappropriately rescinded by the US government," he said.

"While the United States attempts to promote democracy around the world, we lock the doors of our capital city to the leaders of a fellow democracy. Rather than symbolically shunning Taiwan's democratically elected leaders, we should welcome them ... Taiwan deserves this long overdue respect," Wu said.

UNFRIENDLY SENATE

The bill was referred to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, but its fate there is uncertain.

The committee under its current chairman, Senator Joseph Biden, has shown no interest in Taiwan-related issues this year, and Biden, who has nearly dictatorial power to determine the fate of committee bills, has been less than warm toward Taiwan in the past.

Whether the sponsors can circumvent the committee and bring the measure directly to the floor is uncertain.