The US House of Representatives Tuesday unanimously approved a resolution officially extending "its warmest welcome" to first lady Wu Shu-chen (吳淑珍) during her three-day stay in Washington, as members on both the House and Senate floor rose to praise Wu, President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) and Taiwan.
The resolution, approved 410-0, was introduced last week by New York Congressman Benjamin Gilman, the former head of the House International Relations committee and one of Taiwan's strongest supporters in Congress. It was approved through a special procedure that allows speedy floor votes.
"The House of Representatives extends its warmest welcome to Taiwan's first lady Chen Wu Shu-chen during her visit to Washington, DC, in September 2002," the resolution says.
It notes that "the government and people in Taiwan have consistently provided tremendous support and generous contributions to the US after the terrorist attacks against the US that occurred on Sept. 11, 2001."
The resolution praises Wu as being "one of the main forces behind Taiwan's charity and humanitarian assistance for the victims of the terrorist attacks."
The measure was co-sponsored by Dana Rohrabacher, one of the four co-chairpeople of the Congressional Taiwan Caucus, Tom Lantos, the ranking Democrat on the International Relations Committee and a Holocaust survivor, and Eni Faleomavaega.
In comments to the House, Gilman said, "Self-determination is a right that the Taiwanese should not be deprived of, and it is in our interest to demand that communist China immediately stop threatening Taiwan when its leaders simply state a fact of truth: Taiwan is independent and it should be a full-fledged member of the United Nations."
Taiwan-born Oregon representative David Wu praised the first lady as "a reliable partner for President Chen Shui-bian and a determined fighter for democratic development in Taiwan."
"I believe it is critically important to America's commitment to democracy for the US Congress to welcome representatives of a democratic and free people to our capital, and I look forward to future opportunities to welcome democratically elected leaders of the Taiwanese people," said Wu, who has issued a standing invitation for Chen to visit Washington.
Meanwhile, on the Senate Floor, Senators heaped praise on Wu and Taiwan.
"There is no better reflection of today's Taiwan than this dedicated woman who embodies so many of the positive changes that have occurred on the island," said Senator John Rockefeller of West Virginia, who sat next to Wu during a dinner reception at Twin Oaks the night before.
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