Washington, D.C. — Colorado U.S. Senator Michael Bennet, a member of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, joined U.S. Senators Pete Ricketts (R-Neb.) and Chris Coons (D-Del.), members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, along with other Senate and House colleagues, on a bipartisan, bicameral letter to the leadership of Taiwan’s Legislative Yuan. The letter expresses serious concerns over reports that a Taiwanese supplementary defense budget request may only be partially funded. The letter also stresses that a robust, multi-year defense budget is critical to deter increasing aggression from the People’s Republic of China (PRC), which continues to escalate military, economic, and diplomatic pressure on Taiwan.
“Both the United States and Taiwan must do more to deter PRC aggression. For our part, the U.S. must address the massive backlog in weapons deliveries to Taiwan. You have our commitment to continue to work together to ensure Taiwan gets the capabilities it needs, faster. Likewise, we need Taiwan to step up with us. We commend Taiwan for making important progress in strengthening its military readiness, reserve forces, and asymmetric defense capabilities. Nevertheless, we fear that without significant increases in Taiwan’s defense spending at levels reflected in President Lai’s proposed special budget, this progress will be insufficient,” wrote the lawmakers.
“We hope you will support a robust, multi-year special defense budget, as well as annual funding at levels that adequately meet the moment and send a clear signal of Taiwan’s will to defend itself,” concluded the lawmakers.
In addition to Bennet, Ricketts, Coons, U.S. Senators James Risch (R-Idaho), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), Jim Banks (R-Ind.), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Dan Sullivan (R-Ala.), Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.), Andy Kim (D-N.J.), John Cornyn (D-Texas), Eric Schmitt (R-Mo.), and Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) as well as U.S. Representatives Young Kim (R-Calif), Ami Bera (D-Calif), Aumua Amata Radewagen (R-American Samoa), Barry Loudermilk (R-Ga.), Jim Costa (D-Calif.), Claudia Tenney (R-N.Y.), Brad Sherman (D-Calif.), Ted Lieu (D-Calif.), Charles Fleischmann (R-Tenn.), Jimmy Gomez (D-Calif.), James Walkinshaw (D-Va.), Michael McCaul (R-Texas), Scott Peters (D-Calif.), Anna Paulina Luna (R-Fla.), Lloyd Doggett (D-Texas), Addison McDowell (R-N.C.), Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-Ill.), Mark Alford (R-Mo.), Thomas Suozzi (D-N.Y.), John Rose (R-Tenn.), and Don Bacon (R-Neb.) signed the letter.
The text of the letter is available HERE and below.
Dear Speaker Han Kuo-yu, Chair Cheng Li-wun, Chair Huang Kuo-chang, and Caucus Whip Ker Chien-ming:
As friends of Taiwan, we write to express our concerns with ongoing deliberations in the Legislative Yuan to only partially fund a supplementary budget request to enhance Taiwan’s defensive capabilities.
The United States shares a strong and enduring partnership with the people of Taiwan. It is built upon shared democratic values, close economic ties, and a mutual dedication to Indo-Pacific peace and stability. Since passage of the Taiwan Relations Act, the United States has remained committed to Taiwan’s security and ability to defend itself against coercion. This has been demonstrated through sustained security cooperation, including expanded training, enhanced interoperability, and arms sales.
However, the threat posed by the People’s Republic of China (PRC) against Taiwan has never been greater. Xi Jinping is focusing every element of the PRC’s national power to control Taiwan. Xi hopes to achieve this through illegal, coercive, aggressive, and deceptive actions that undermine Taiwan’s will to resist. These measures include regularly operating inside Taiwan’s Air Defense Identification Zone, increasing incursions across the median line, harassing fishing vessels, and cutting undersea cables. At the same time, Xi remains willing to use military force to achieve his goal. As evidence of this, large-scale People’s Liberation Army exercises in October 2024, April 2025, and December 2025 demonstrated its growing preparations for a blockade or invasion.
In response to this worsening threat environment, both the United States and Taiwan must do more to deter PRC aggression. For our part, the U.S. must address the massive backlog in weapons deliveries to Taiwan. You have our commitment to continue to work together to ensure Taiwan gets the capabilities it needs, faster. Likewise, we need Taiwan to step up with us. We commend Taiwan for making important progress in strengthening its military readiness, reserve forces, and asymmetric defense capabilities. Nevertheless, we fear that without significant increases in Taiwan’s defense spending at levels reflected in President Lai’s proposed special budget, this progress will be insufficient.
We understand the complexities that surround government funding debates.Legislators must represent the will of our constituents and ensure that taxpayer dollars are spent effectively. However, we also have the responsibility to fund our militaries at levels that address the critical threats we face. As such, we hope you will support a robust, multi-year special defense budget, as well as annual funding at levels that adequately meet the moment and send a clear signal of Taiwan’s will to defend itself.
Thank you for your leadership and your continued commitment to Taiwan’s democratic system and long-term security. We look forward to continued cooperation between our legislatures and our peoples.
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