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North Korea Sanctions Enforcement Act of 2016

Floor Speech

Date: Feb. 12, 2016
Location: Washington, DC
Issues: National Security Foreign Affairs

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Mr. SALMON. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to add my strong support to H.R. 757, the North Korea Sanctions Enforcement Act of 2016, a critical bill to target the rogue Kim Jong Un regime in North Korea. I want to thank Chairman Ed Royce for drafting this important piece of legislation with Ranking Member Eliot Engel and moving swiftly to bring it for a final vote here in the House before sending it on to the President. North Korea needs to know that it cannot pursue a nuclear program without a tough response from the United States and our allies in the region.

This latest nuclear test and missile launch test fly in the face of current international sanctions and against years and years of negotiation to end North Korea's nuclear ambitions.

By their actions, it is clear that North Korea has every intention to continue advancing its nuclear and missile programs, in an effort to strengthen both domestic and international positions. This must stop here.

This bill before us today will seize assets connected with North Korea's proliferation program. It will staunch the flow of cash from anyone involved in arms trafficking, luxury goods, money laundering, and other means of weapons proliferation in North Korea.

H.R. 757 will also target the regime's horrendous and appalling human rights abuses, by requiring the Administration to develop a strategy that would protect human rights in North Korea and identify those in the North Korean regime who violate basic human rights and dignity.

The time is now to take action and punish the North Korean regime for its destructive behavior. The time to act is now. We cannot wait for another nuclear test, another missile launch, another island shelling, another ship sinking, or another hacking attack. If the Administration will not act to hold the North Korean regime to account, then the Congress must.

I am proud to vote in favor of H.R. 757 and strongly encourage all of my House colleagues to join me.

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