Rep Cook Votes To Tighten North Korea Sanctions

Press Release

Today, Rep. Paul Cook (R-Apple Valley) voted for HR 1644, the "Korean Interdiction and Modernization of Sanctions Act." The bill passed the House overwhelmingly with bipartisan support. Rep. Cook was a cosponsor of this bill.

This bill amends the North Korea Sanctions and Policy Enhancement Act of 2016 to modify and increase the President's authority to impose sanctions against North Korea. Specifically, the bill expands sanctions to deter North Korea's nuclear weapons programs, targets those individuals overseas who employ North Korean slave labor, cracks down on North Korean shipping and its use of international ports, and requires the administration to determine whether North Korea is a state sponsor or terrorism.

Earlier, this year, North Korea vowed to test-launch an intercontinental ballistic missile. North Korea has also continually demonstrated its desire and ability to conduct nuclear weapons and ballistic missile tests that threaten the security of the United States and its allies. Moreover, in 2016, North Korea violated multiple United Nations Security Council Resolutions through its nuclear tests and over 20 missile tests. North Korean Leader Kim Jong Un has also recently threatened to attack America with nuclear weapons.

Rep. Cook said, "Kim Jong Un has grown increasingly brazen in his threats to world peace and continues to ignore U.N. security resolutions. He is a grave threat to our national security and our allies. This important bill gives the President additional tools to confront this gathering threat and curb the flow of money from those who are funding North Korea's nuclear capabilities."

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