Congressman Ted Deutch (FL-21) has cosponsored H.R. 1151, which calls for the Secretary of State to develop a strategy to obtain observer status for Taiwan in the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). The bill requests U.S. support for Taiwan in the next assembly in September 2013, and asks that other countries also support Taiwan receiving observer status as well.

The ICAO is a United Nations specialized agency that is dedicated to ensuring safe and efficient air transportation around the globe. By excluding Taiwan, a country which has jurisdiction over 176,000 square nautical miles of airspace and provides air traffic control services to over 1.3 million flights each year, the ICAO is prevented from developing a truly global strategy to address security threats. Granting observer status will allow Taiwan to speak and participate at the ICAO assembly, and support the country’s efforts to implement new standards, systems, and procedures.

To read more about H.R. 1151, click here.