S. 3018Active in CommitteeMarket NeutralInternational Affairs

A bill to permit visiting dignitaries and service members from Taiwan to display the

Proposal to permit visiting dignitaries and service members from Taiwan to display the flag of the Republic of China.

Official Congressional Title

A bill to permit visiting dignitaries and service members from Taiwan to display the flag of the Republic of China.

Sponsor:Sen. Cruz, Ted [R-TX] (R-TX)

Cosponsors (4 total):

0 Dem•4 Rep

Bipartisan Consensus Score5/100

Legislative Status Tracker (Latest Action: 2026-07-27)

Introduced

In Committee

Passed 1 Chamber

Passed Both

Signed into Law

Latest: Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 499.

The Plain-English Breakdown

This Senate legislation (S. 3018) addresses international affairs by proposing statutory changes described as: "A bill to permit visiting dignitaries and service members from Taiwan to display the flag of the Republic of China."

What Actually Changes in Real Life If Passed

Updates federal statute under the International Affairs policy area (S. 3018).
Sponsored by Sen. Cruz, Ted [R-TX] with 4 cosponsor(s).
Latest status (2026-07-27): Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 499.

Clause-by-Clause: Official Verbiage vs. Plain English

Side-by-side translation of the bill's key statutory sections

Core Statutory DirectiveInternational Affairs

📜 Official Statutory Verbiage

“A bill to permit visiting dignitaries and service members from Taiwan to display the flag of the Republic of China.”

✨ Plain-English Translation

Proposal to permit visiting dignitaries and service members from Taiwan to display the flag of the Republic of China.

Who Wins / Benefits

International Affairs Stakeholders & Constituents

Primary targeted beneficiaries of the statutory updates or authorizations in this bill.

Who Pays / Loses

Federal Agency / Compliance Budget

Requires administrative implementation or reallocation of federal resources.

Market & Public Equity Impact

Sectors, ETFs, and public companies exposed to this legislation

Market Neutral

Monitored under Public Sector & Policy for legislative and regulatory ripple effects.

SPYSPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust

WATCH

Broad macro/regulatory monitoring; minimal isolated single-sector equity distortion.

Rider & Hidden Pork Detector

Checks for unrelated attachments, earmarks, or omnibus logrolling

Rider Complexity18/100

Targeted single-topic legislation with low rider complexity.

Legalese Jargon Decoder

Phrases in this bill that sound technical—and what they really mean

"...and for other purposes"

Plain Meaning: Allows lawmakers to include related or secondary provisions inside the bill that aren't explicitly listed in the first sentence of the title.

Why Congress uses it: Standard Congressional drafting catch-all so procedural objections can't strike down clauses that go slightly beyond a narrow title.

"Notwithstanding any other provision of law..."

Plain Meaning: This rule overrides any existing federal laws that might conflict with it.

Why Congress uses it: Used as a legal trump card so courts and agencies must follow this new rule even if older laws say the opposite.

Official Congressional Record

Congressional Research Service (CRS) & Statutory Text

Official Legislative Verbiage Excerpt

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 3018 Reported in Senate (RS)]

<DOC>

                                                       Calendar No. 499
119th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                S. 3018

   To permit visiting dignitaries and service members from Taiwan to 
               display the flag of the Republic of China.

_______________________________________________________________________

                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                            October 20, 2025

Mr. Cruz (for himself, Mr. Young, Mrs. Blackburn, Mr. Scott of Florida, 
and Mr. Curtis) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and 
             referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations

                             July 27, 2026

                Reported by Mr. Risch, with an amendment
 [Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed 
                               in italic]

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL

 
   To permit visiting dignitaries and service members from Taiwan to 
               display the flag of the Republic of China.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

<DELETED>SECTION 1. REQUIREMENT TO PERMIT DIGNITARIES AND SERVICE 
              MEMBERS FROM TAIWAN TO DISPLAY THE FLAG OF THE REPUBLIC 
              OF CHINA.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) In General.--The Secretary of State and the Secretary 
of Defense shall permit members of the Armed Forces and Government 
representatives from the Republic of China (Taiwan) or the Taipei 
Economic and Cultural Representative Office (TECRO) to display, for the 
official purposes set forth in subsection (b), symbols of Republic of 
China sovereignty, including--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) the flag of the Republic of China (Taiwan); 
        and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) the corresponding emblems or insignia of 
        military units.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) Official Purposes.--The official purposes referred to 
in subsection (a) are--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) the wearing of official uniforms;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) conducting government hosted ceremonies or 
        functions; and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) appearances on Department of State and 
        Department of Defense social media accounts promoting 
        engagements with Taiwan.</DELETED>

SECTION 1. REQUIREMENT TO PERMIT DIGNITARIES AND SERVICE MEMBERS FROM 
              TAIWAN TO DISPLAY THE FLAG OF TAIWAN.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary of State and the Secretary of 
Defense shall permit members of the Armed Forces and representatives 
from Taiwan or the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office 
(TECRO) to display, for the purposes set forth in subsection (b), the 
following symbols:
            (1) the flag of Taiwan; and
            (2) the corresponding emblems or insignia of military 
        units.
    (b) Purposes.--The purposes referred to in subsection (a) are--
            (1) the wearing of official uniforms;
            (2) conducting ceremonies or functions; and
            (3) appearances on Department of State and Department of 
        Defense social media accounts promoting engagements with 
        Taiwan.

SEC. 2. RULE OF CONSTRUCTION.

    Nothing in this Act shall be construed as a change to the One China 
Policy of the United States, which is guided by the Taiwan Relations 
Act (22 U.S.C. 3301 et seq.), the three United States-People's Republic 
of China Joint Communiques, and the Six Assurances.
                                                       Calendar No. 499

119th CONGRESS

  2d Session

                                S. 3018

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL

   To permit visiting dignitaries and service members from Taiwan to 
               display the flag of the Republic of China.

_______________________________________________________________________

                             July 27, 2026

                       Reported with an amendment

Official Action Timeline

2026-07-27

Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 499.

2026-07-27

Committee on Foreign Relations. Reported by Senator Risch with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. Without written report.

2026-07-27

Committee on Foreign Relations. Reported by Senator Risch with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. Without written report.

2026-06-17

Committee on Foreign Relations. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.

2025-10-20

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations.

2025-10-20

Introduced in Senate