00                CS FOR HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 36(HES)                                                               
01 Urging the United States Congress to support the granting of official Observer Status to                                
02 the Republic of China at the World Health Assembly Annual Conference to be held at                                      
03 Geneva, Switzerland, in May 2006.                                                                                       
04 BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA:                                                               
05       WHEREAS the health of the peoples of the world is of vital importance to the United                             
06 States, including the citizens of Alaska, and to the Republic of China; and                                             
07       WHEREAS the people of the United States and the Republic of China have                                          
08 generously contributed to programs that benefit the health of the peoples of the world; and                             
09       WHEREAS it would be mutually beneficial to the people of the United States,                                     
10 including Alaska, and the people of the Republic of China to both assist and realize a                                  
11 continuation of international efforts the goal of which is to expand and further develop health-                        
12 related knowledge; and                                                                                                  
13       WHEREAS today there is a strong need for the rapid and complete international                                   
14 dissemination of health-medical information and research results in view of the recent                                  
15 outbreaks of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) and Avian Influenza, considered to                                

01 be worldwide health threats;                                                                                            
02       BE IT RESOLVED that the Alaska State Legislature encourages the United States                                   
03 Congress to authorize the United States to endorse the request by the Republic of China to be                           
04 granted Observer Status at the World Health Assembly Annual Conference in May 2006 at                                   
05 Geneva, Switzerland.                                                                                                    
06       COPIES of this resolution shall be sent to the Honorable Chen Shui-bian, President of                           
07 the Republic of China; the Honorable George W. Bush, President of the United States; the                                
08 Honorable Condoleezza Rice, United States Secretary of State; the Honorable Michael O.                                  
09 Leavitt, United States Secretary of Health and Human Services; the World Health Assembly;                               
10 the World Health Organization; Robert C. M. Chen, Director General, Taipei Economic and                                 
11 Cultural Office in Seattle, 600 University Street, Suite 2020, Seattle, WA  98101; and to the                           
12 Honorable Ted Stevens and the Honorable Lisa Murkowski, U.S. Senators, and the Honorable                                
13 Don Young, U.S. Representative, members of the Alaska delegation in Congress.