U.S. Congress revises bill allocating Taiwan security funding

Washington, Dec. 7 (CNA) The U.S. Congress has released a new draft of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which includes up to US$1 billion in funds for Taiwan-related security cooperation in 2026.

The version published Sunday by U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson removes earlier language that would have invited Taiwan to participate in the U.S.-led Rim of the Pacific Exercise (RIMPAC).

According to a press release on Johnson's webpage, the NDAA "enhances U.S. defense initiatives in the Indo-Pacific to bolster Taiwan's defense and support Indo-Pacific allies."

The bill would require the U.S. defense secretary to "enable fielding of uncrewed and anti-uncrewed systems capabilities" with Taiwan by March 1, 2026.

The systems must comply with the Taiwan Relations Act and be usable by both U.S. and Taiwanese forces, it says.

Up to US$1 billion in the fiscal 2026 budget may be allocated to support security cooperation initiatives with Taiwan and expand its medical equipment, supply capacity, and "combat casualty-care capabilities," according to the bill.

The compromise version was produced after the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives reconciled their separate versions into a unified bill.

The draft bill requires annual reports to Congress through 2029 on reciprocal procurement memoranda and authorizes planning for joint maritime operations and leadership training between the U.S. Coast Guard and Taiwan's Coast Guard Administration.

Projected 2026-2030 costs include deployments of U.S. Coast Guard operational training teams to Taiwan to strengthen maritime security, law-enforcement capacity and deterrence.

The U.S. secretary of defense's office would be required to submit a Taiwan security assistance roadmap and a study assessing rapid mobilization, deployment and sustainment abilities in potential conflicts in the Taiwan Strait, the South China Sea and other Indo-Pacific hotspots, according to the bill.

It would also evaluate joint and allied operational capacity, with particular focus on coordination with Japan, Australia, the Philippines and Taiwan.

Final funding levels would depend on future appropriations legislation.

"This legislation includes important House-passed provisions to ensure our military forces remain the most lethal in the world and can deter any adversary," Johnson's press release on Sunday said.

"President Trump has made clear the past few decades of investments propping up Communist China's aggression must come to an end, and this bill includes important guardrails to protect America's long-term investments, economic interests, and sensitive data," the statement said.