Connecticut HJ 34: RESOLUTION GRANTING THE CLAIMS COMMISSIONER AN EXTENSION OF TIME TO DISPOSE OF THE CLAIM OF GIANNA BALERNA.

Bill Text

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General Assembly Substitute House Joint
Resolution No. 34
February Session, 2026

RESOLUTION COMMEMORATING THE TWENTY-SEVENTH
ANNIVERSARY OF THE CONNECTICUT-TAIWAN SISTER-STATE
RELATIONSHIP.
Resolved by this Assembly:

WHEREAS, the state of Connecticut and the Republic of China 1
(Taiwan) have enjoyed a long history of friendship and have maintained 2
a fruitful sister-state relationship encompassing cultural, educational 3
and economic exchanges since 1999; and 4
WHEREAS, the state of Connecticut exported 335 million dollars' 5
worth of products to Taiwan in 2025, making Taiwan one of the most 6
important foreign markets for Connecticut, and strengthening a robust 7
bilateral trade relationship as well as fostering a continued collaboration 8
between their respective industries; and 9
WHEREAS, the United States-Taiwan Education Initiative was 10
launched in 2020 to strengthen cooperation on international education 11
and highlight Taiwan's ability to provide instruction in Mandarin, and 12
given Mandarin's designation as a critical language for maintaining 13
national security by the United States, the state of Connecticut welcomes 14
opportunities to advance educational exchanges with Taiwan and 15
signed an Education Exchange Memorandum in January 2025; and 16

Substitute House Joint Resolution No. 34

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WHEREAS, Taiwan has signed mutual driver's license recognition 17
pacts with 36 states of the United States since 2013, and more than 25,000 18
Taiwanese and American citizens have taken advantage of such pacts, 19
and Taiwan and the state of Connecticut have been working closely to 20
enter into a driver's license reciprocity agreement to help increase the 21
mobility of international students, business owners and academics from 22
both sides; and 23
WHEREAS, as a full-fledged democracy and robust free-market 24
economy, Taiwan shares with the United States the principles and 25
values that provide a strong foundation for mutually beneficial 26
relations; and 27
WHEREAS, the United States Congress passed the landmark Taiwan 28
Relations Act (TRA) in 1979 to sustain a close bilateral relationship as 29
well as to advance mutual security and commercial interests between 30
the United States and Taiwan, and the TRA, together with the Six 31
Assurances of President Ronald Reagan in 1982, have served as the 32
cornerstone of United States-Taiwan relations and have helped to 33
preserve peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait; and 34
WHEREAS, 2026 marks the two hundred fiftieth anniversary of 35
American independence and the founding of the constitutional 36
republic, and also marks the thirtieth anniversary of Taiwan's first direct 37
presidential election, in which the Taiwanese people fully exercised 38
their democratic rights and the United States stood shoulder-to- 39
shoulder with Taiwan as steadfast democratic value partners in the 40
Western Pacific; and 41
WHEREAS, peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait is crucial to the 42
maintenance of a free and open Indo-Pacific, and Taiwan is an 43
indispensable partner in safeguarding peace and stability in the region; 44
and 45
WHEREAS, Taiwan's inclusion in the United States Visa Waiver 46
Program and Global Entry, and the reciprocal travel facilitation enjoyed 47
by United States citizens when visiting Taiwan, allows Taiwan and the 48

Substitute House Joint Resolution No. 34

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United States to develop closer relations and witness rapid growth in all 49
areas of bilateral development; and 50
WHEREAS, the United States has assisted Taiwan in participating in 51
the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and the 52
International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL), and it will 53
continue to support Taiwan's participation in the United Nations and 54
other international organizations; and 55
WHEREAS, the United States and Taiwan enjoy longstanding and 56
extensive economic ties, including 256 billion dollars in bilateral trade 57
in 2025, making Taiwan the fourth largest trading partner of the United 58
States; and 59
WHEREAS, on February 12, 2026, the United States and Taiwan 60
signed the Agreement on Reciprocal Trade, which further strengthens 61
the economic and trade relationship between the United States and 62
Taiwan; provides mutual benefits; facilitates significant expansion and 63
growth of United States manufacturing through substantial tariff 64
reductions, removal of nontariff barriers and investments and 65
procurement in key sectors and products; enhances balanced trade; and 66
fortifies the semiconductor supply chain; and 67
WHEREAS, the advancement of negotiations on the U.S.-Taiwan 68
Initiative on 21st Century Trade and an Avoidance of Double Taxation 69
Agreement (ADTA) with the United States would strengthen bilateral 70
economic and trade partnerships and create jobs, incentivize investment 71
and fortify the resilience of the supply chain for both countries; and 72
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT