OFFICIALS LEGISLATION INTEREST GROUPS PUBLIC STATEMENTS COMMITTEES VETOES

Matthew Young Pollard Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Years 2018 and 2019

Floor Speech

Date: July 12, 2018
Location: Washington, DC
Issues: Foreign Affairs Government Operations

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Mrs. TORRES. Mr. Chairman, I rise to offer my amendment to H.R. 6237, the Matthew Young Pollard Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Years 2018 and 2019.

Mr. Chairman, nearly 1 year and 3 months ago today, the North Korean regime announced that it had successfully executed an intercontinental ballistic missile test launch. That announcement raised the real possibility of a North Korean nuclear attack on American soil.

President Trump, rightly, has spent much of last year seeking a deal for the denuclearization of North Korea. Secretary Pompeo is actively engaged in finding a solution, and Congress should be providing him with all of the resources we can to ensure a solution is meaningful and effective.

To prevent advancement of their nuclear weapons program, we need to obtain specific information regarding North Korean revenue sources; however, the U.S. Government does not have a sufficient understanding of this critical question. That is why I have offered this amendment, which is modeled after my North Korea Follow the Money Act.

This amendment directs the Director of National Intelligence to produce a National Intelligence Estimate of the revenue sources of North Korea. Any effective agreement between the U.S. and North Korea must consider all of the sources of funding, both legitimate and illegitimate, that have enabled this North Korean regime.

I am proud to offer this bipartisan amendment with Representative Wagner, who has been a longtime partner of mine on this legislation, and I also appreciate Chairman Nunes and his staff and Ranking Member Schiff and his staff for working with me on this amendment.

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Mrs. TORRES. Mr. Chairman, I urge my colleagues to support this amendment. Until we know where the North Korean regime gets its money, we won't know how much money they have to spend.

Mr. Chair, I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' and equip Secretary Pompeo with the tools that he needs to act in the best interests of our national security, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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