Menendez Bi-Partisan North Korea Sanctions Bill Heads to President's Desk

Press Release

After unanimous passage by the Senate earlier this week, U.S. Senator Bob Menendez's bi-partisan North Korea Sanctions and Policy Enhancement Act of 2016 passed the House of Representatives and now heads to the President for his signature.

"With passage by the House, we have now taken the penultimate step in advancing the most comprehensive strategy to deal with the challenge that North Korea presents -- a strategy that combines effective sanctions and effective military countermeasures that can stop North Korea's nuclear ambitions, address its aggressive cyber warfare, and bring some sanity back to the political calculus.

"And soon, with the president's signature, we will have acted with one voice, in accordance with Americas' values, sending a united message that warns North Korea of our strategic resolve. We will have established a policy for dealing with an unpredictable rogue regime equal to the challenge -- and we will leave no doubt about our determination to neutralize any threat North Korea may present. Robust, realistic diplomacy and tough economic consequences should reaffirm for the Kim regime that we are working toward a clear goal: A denuclearized Korean Peninsula.

"It is my hope that international actors -- like the United Nations Security Council and China -- will take notice of this strong showing of U.S. leadership and leverage the momentum to implement similar measures that make clear there will be collective consequences to Pyongyang's aggressive, reckless provocations."

Earlier this week, Menendez spoke on the Senate Floor preceding unanimous Senate passage of the bill. Video of those remarks follow.

The Gardner-Menendez North Korea Sanctions and Policy Enhancement Act of 2016 would strengthen and expand sanctions against the regime in North Korea by:

Requiring the President to investigate any person who knowingly imports into North Korea (DPRK) any goods, technology, service, training, or advice regarding weapons of mass destruction and their delivery; knowingly imports luxury goods into North Korea; knowingly engages in serious human rights abuses or censorship by the Government of North Korea; knowingly engages in money laundering, counterfeiting, cash smuggling, or narcotics trafficking that supports the Government of North Korea or any senior official; knowingly sells significant amounts of precious metals, graphite, steel, coal or other materials in support of weapons programs and other proliferation activities; knowingly exports or imports arms to or from North Korea; or knowingly engages in cyber-terrorism or cyber-vandalism.
Requiring a report that identifies severe human rights abusers in North Korea and requiring the President to designate any person listed in the report.
Codifying and making mandatory cybersecurity sanctions on North Korea under Executive Orders 13687 and 13694, until the President submits to Congress a certification that the government of North Korea is no longer engaged in the illicit activities described in such executive orders. The legislation also requires a report on cybersecurity strategy.
Requiring the President to apply sanctions to those deemed to have undertaken prohibited activities, including blocking assets and transactions in property and interests. The legislation also allows for the forfeiture of property.
Requiring a determination by the Treasury Secretary on whether North Korea is a jurisdiction of primary money laundering concern and should be subject to banking-related sanctions.
Barring defense exports to North Korea; banning foreign assistance to any country that provides lethal military equipment to North Korea; and barring persons or entities designated for facilitating North Korea's destructive policies from receiving U.S. government contracts.
Providing a carve-out/waiver for humanitarian organizations engaged in humanitarian assistance, and organizations engaged in the identification and recovery of U.S. military personnel.
Authorizing, for each fiscal year 2017 through 2021, $3,000,000 to carry out radio broadcasting to North Korea, $2,000,000 for humanitarian assistance, and $2,000,000 aimed at making unrestricted and unmonitored electronic mass communications available to the people of North Korea.
Allowing the President to waive any portion of the act, on a case by case basis, if it is in the national security interests of the U.S., or if it is for an important law enforcement purpose.

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