Organized Retail Crime Prevention and Enforcement Act of 2009

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 309) expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that North Korea should immediately stop any hostile rhetoric and activity towards the Republic of Korea and engage in mutual dialogue to enhance inter-Korean relations, as amended.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this resolution expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that North Korea should immediately stop its hostile activities and instead return to dialogue.

Mr. Speaker, as I said earlier of my strong support of H. Res. 309, it is a

thoughtful, timely, and relevant resolution offered by my dear friend and colleague, the gentleman from New York (Mr. King). I also wish to recognize the contributions and efforts of my colleague, Mr. Meeks, also from New York. He was the principal Democratic lead cosponsor and is a member of my Subcommittee on Asia, the Pacific and the Global Environment.

Mr. Speaker, this important and bipartisan resolution shares, at its substantive core, three key principles. First, it expresses a unified sense of the Congress that North Korea should cease all hostile and destabilizing activity on the Korean Peninsula. Second, it calls on North Korea to reengage in dialogue with South Korea, as well as with the Six-Party Talks. And, third, it reaffirms our unconditional and unwavering commitment to our alliance partnership with the Republic of Korea.

As we are all aware, North Korea's recent hostile activities have once again brought world attention to the fragile peace and tenuous security framework on the Korean Peninsula. In a span of less than 3 months, North Korea conducted another nuclear test, launched several intercontinental ballistic missiles, and suspended or nullified all major inter-Korean agreements, including the armistice that has maintained peace between North and South Korea since 1953.

Even more alarming, Mr. Speaker, North Korea removed IAEA inspectors at Yongbyon and announced that it was restarting its plutonium production program with the ultimate aim of weaponizing its nuclear material. Meanwhile, amid the hostile brinksmanship, two American journalists, Euna Lee and Laura Ling, were captured, tried, and sentenced to 12 years in prison for reform by hard labor.

North Korea's leader, Kim Jong Il, has let it be known that his 26- year-old son, Kim Jong Un, will succeed him as he succeeded his own father. North Korea's communist leadership regime is being solidified into a totalitarian, hereditary, authoritarian regime.

These startling events have unquestionably precipitated the necessity of a unified congressional response to North Korea's hostile acts, while also sending a message of strong solidarity and support for our close friend and ally, the Republic of Korea.

Just last Friday, the United Nations Security Council unanimously adopted a resolution condemning ``in the strongest terms possible'' North Korea's nuclear test, imposing new sanctions, demanding that the Democratic People's Republic of Korea not conduct any further nuclear test or any launch using ballistic missile technology, and urging Pyongyang to come back to the Six-Party Talks without preconditions.

House Resolution 309 before us today will reinforce the Security Council's message that Pyongyang's recent actions are unacceptable, and it will also reinforce a message President Obama and Secretary of State Clinton both underscored regarding the strength of our alliance with South Korea.

The administration and the international community have sent clear messages to North Korea about its provocations, and it is time that Congress also follows suit.

Mr. Speaker, our consideration of House Resolution 309 today is rendered all the more relevant by the visit of President Lee Myung-bak to Washington. I understand that his incredibly busy schedule will include a summit with President Obama and meetings with Cabinet officials and the House and Senate leadership. I was also made aware that President Lee will receive the honorary doctorate degree from George Washington University, where he was a visiting scholar 10 years ago.

Mr. Speaker, it is always a special occasion when Korea's President visits the United States, and I certainly would like to extend a sincere welcome and best wishes to President Lee, whom I had the honor of meeting with last year in Seoul.

Mr. Speaker, for almost 1\1/2\ years now, since his inauguration last February, President Lee has continually emphasized the importance of a strategic alliance with the United States, and this has been manifested through several notable achievements. Most recently, South Korea joined the Proliferation Security Initiative aimed at preventing the spread of weapons of mass destruction. In November of last year, Korea formally acceded to the Visa Waiver Program. In October, a currency swap agreement was signed between our two countries to stem the liquidity issues in the global financial markets. And through legislation passed by our Congress last September, Korea's Foreign Military Sales status was officially upgraded to the level of NATO plus three.

President Lee was also instrumental in arranging for the resumption of the importation of beef imports from the U.S. to Korea after diffusing a sensitive political situation that temporarily halted our imports of beef to South Korea. His determination to settle the beef issue underscores the important commercial ties between Korea and the United States.

Mr. Speaker, I wish to close my remarks by offering a few thoughts on the importance of reaffirming our alliance partnership with Korea. The history of relations between our two countries, which can be tracked back to a treaty of friendship more than 25 years ago, has been marked by consistency and mutual solidarity between our two nations.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to support this resolution.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

I want to commend and thank my good friend, the gentleman from New York for his sponsorship, again, of this important resolution and certainly thank him for his insights and understanding of the current situation that we're faced with as far as dealing with North Korea.

Mr. Speaker, the geopolitical situation now, the realities and the development as a result of North Korea's latest activities now, makes it absolutely necessary for the United States to strengthen our alliance and partnership with South Korea.

The security alliance between the United States and Korea has been pivotal ever since it was forged through much shedding of blood during the Korean War some 60 years ago. As I recall, over 33,000 of our men and women in military uniform died as a result of that terrible conflict known as the Korean War.

Without question, South Korea has remained a steadfast U.S. ally, especially in our time of need, whether it be the horrific conflict of Vietnam, where I personally served at the time, where some 50,000 South Korean soldiers were right there fighting alongside the members of our Armed Forces there at that time. When we needed assistance in Iraq, Afghanistan, Lebanon, and other global hotspots, South Korea responded affirmatively and dependably as our ally. The foundation of our friendship and alliance is unshakeable. Through our shared values and common history, we are able to meet global challenges together, ranging from terrorism to the current crisis in North Korea.

Mr. Speaker, our economic and trade relationship with South Korea is one of the strongest in Asia, and currently South Korea is our seventh- largest trading partner in the world. In 2007 our two countries concluded a free trade agreement that now awaits approval by our Congress as well as the Korean National Assembly.

In my opinion, Mr. Speaker, the U.S.-Korea Free Trade Agreement will bring tremendous benefits to both of our countries. The International Trade Commission has forecast that the elimination of tariffs on U.S. goods under the agreement would increase our GDP by about $11 billion a year. The agreement will also eliminate regulatory and other nontariff barriers that have historically restricted access by farmers, manufacturers, and service providers. And to the South Korean market, with growing difficulties and the health of our economy, in my opinion, this proposed agreement will be a win-win situation: a win for our workers, a win for our businesses, and a win for our consumers.

But perhaps the most compelling argument supporting a free trade agreement with this important ally of ours is the very reason that we are gathered here in support of House Resolution 309. The geopolitical factors in East Asia and North Korea's recent destabilizing actions necessitates a firm and tangible U.S. commitment in the region. And realizing that the free trade agreement would send the right message to both North and South Korea that we seek an even stronger and more comprehensive economic and trade relationship with our important ally, the Republic of Korea.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

I want to thank my good friend and colleague the gentleman from California for his comments, certainly one of the most recognized experts that we have in the House as far as issues dealing with the Korean Peninsula. I do thank him for his thoughts and sentiments on this important issue.

Once again, Mr. Speaker, I wish to thank my good friend the gentleman from New York (Mr. King) and also Mr. Meeks for offering this important resolution and especially also the chairman of our committee, Mr. Berman, and also our senior ranking member, Ms. Ros-Lehtinen, for their leadership and their support in bringing this bill before the floor.

I ask my colleagues to join me in supporting this resolution and offering President Lee our best wishes for a pleasant visit to Washington and a successful summit with President Obama sometime this week.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I also yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Florida for yielding.

At the outset, let me thank Chairman Berman and Ranking Member Ros- Lehtinen for the support they have given me on this resolution and for bringing it to the House floor. Also, let me thank my colleague from New York (Mr. Meeks) for being the prime cosponsor of the bill and for his support in pushing it forward. And of course Mr. Faleomavaega, who does a truly outstanding job as chairman of the subcommittee, I want to thank him as well.

Mr. Speaker, when I first introduced this resolution back in March, it was clear then, obviously, that Korea was a major threat to world stability and a major threat to the national security of the United States, and of course also to its Asian neighbors. Well, since then, the situation has only gotten worse. As Mr. Bilirakis pointed out, it has been step after step of aggressive action, provocative action, action defying world opinion, defying resolutions of the United Nations, and absolutely defying agreements that have been made with the Six Parties over the previous years.

Mr. Speaker, President Clinton reached out and tried to engage North Korea, President Bush obviously reached out and tried to engage North Korea, began the Six-Party Talks, made China a part of that process; and yet at every stage, when it comes to weaponizing uranium, plutonium and moving forward, North Korea has refused to respond in good faith. And when they do make a feeble attempt at good faith, it is obviously a ploy, and they renege as soon as any concession is made by the United States or any of our allies. So, Mr. Speaker, I think it is important that we send a message to the North Korean Government.

And let's be clear about this. When we are talking about the North Korean Government, we're really talking about an organized crime family masquerading as a state. Kim Jong Il defies every standard of decency that is built up in the community of nations. I think it is important to realize that, especially when North Korea is contrasted with the Republic of Korea, which has become a model democracy and it is such a strong and staunch ally of the United States.

So as we go forward, Mr. Speaker, I think it is important for the President and the Secretary of State to know that Congress will stand behind them if they have to take stronger action, if they have to really lean back and push back against North Korea. I think everything should be on the table. The fact is that we now have a situation where, with going forward with its nuclear program, North Korea really puts its neighbors in jeopardy, and perhaps soon after that Europe and the United States, with their missile system, with the delivery system, with the nuclear relationships. And I think everything should be on the table, including a very strong missile defense system. And we should have an open debate, put partisanship aside and stand together as Americans to confront what could be a mortal danger to our allies and also causing the situation in Asia to spiral out of control. I certainly think when Japan sees what North Korea is doing, as far as advancing its nuclear program, we could well see Japan considering a nuclear program. We have strong friends, such as Taiwan, who now will be in danger.

Also, it is time for China to realize that they have a major role to play in solving this crisis. The fact is, North Korea could not survive if it did not receive its energy and its food supplies from China. And China should realize that this game can only go on for so long where they somehow take a certain delight in North Korea antagonizing the United States. And also, they feel they can buy off North Korea with their food and energy, and they don't want refugees streaming across their border. But this has now gone beyond the stage where we are just talking and sitting down; we are talking about the very security of the United States being in danger here.

So, Mr. Speaker, I urge the adoption of this resolution. Yes, we have to continue constructive dialogue, we have to engage, to the extent we can, with North Korea; but the fact is that, as Mr. Bilirakis said, when the President reached out in good faith--President Clinton, President Bush, and now President Obama have reached out in good faith--the response to them has been an iron fist, it's been missiles, it's been rockets, and it's been weaponizing of nuclear fissile material.

So rather than be caught short, rather than our being victims of something which we should anticipate now, let us stand together, and I certainly reach out across the aisle so that all of us, as Republicans and Democrats and as Americans, can stand with the President as he goes forward, and hopefully he will, to stand up to this really blatant aggression, I believe, by North Korea and send a message to Kim Jong Il, whether it's him or his son, no matter who ends up controlling or calling the shots in North Korea, that it will be met by concerted action from the United States. And also call on countries such as China to start doing what they should be doing, and to reassure our allies such as Japan and Taiwan that the United States will do all it can to prevent and stop North Korea from becoming a nuclear power.

I urge adoption of the resolution.

I thank the gentleman for yielding.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of Congressman Peter King of New York's legislation. I think it's very important at this point in time to recognize, as we have discussed today, the importance of that relationship that we have with South Korea and to recognize also just how much of a test North Korea's provocative actions have been for our allies in South Korea.

If we think back to the aftereffect of the Korean War and how South Korea lay in ruins and think today about the fact that South Korea has one of the highest per-capita incomes in the world and yet we look at North Korea and it has the lowest, it is truly dramatic. I have been in North Korea, and it's phenomenal to me to see the kind of devastation that that misrule has led to in terms of the population, the stunted growth, the malnutrition that you can see when you meet people. But particularly for our friends in South Korea, who today are one of our strongest trading partners, particularly for them at this point in time, when we see this North Korean foreign policy, which has always been aggressive but lately has included long-range missile tests; has included three-stage ICBMs; includes booting U.N. inspectors from the country; the sentencing of Laura Ling and Euna Lee, two young American journalists, sentencing them to 12 years hard labor; the ongoing counterfeiting of U.S. $100 bills; missile proliferation out of North Korea; drug trafficking and other illicit activities, so many illicit activities that I think some of us are confounded by the fact that almost half of the hard currency that goes into that regime is money they make through illicit activities. And now North Korea has conducted a second underground nuclear test in 3 years. We are in the midst of a leadership struggle, and many expect as a result more provocations, more missile tests, even more nuclear tests perhaps over the ensuing months.

Weeks after the North Korean test, the U.N. Security Council has passed a watered-down resolution. And just as the previous administration did after North Korea's October 2006 nuclear test, this U.N. action will be touted. It will be touted by our spokesman as an effective response. Well, we've heard this story before, unfortunately. It is not an effective response, and it is because, frankly, with the lowest common denominator U.N. resolution approach, where China and Russia get that opportunity to water down that resolution so that it won't be enforced effectively, frankly, we come to a conclusion. And the conclusion for me--and I've followed this issue for many years--is that the United States can achieve an awful lot by deploying measures to further undercut North Korea's economy and to target its proliferation activities. We have found that the source of doing that before; we should do it again.

Past attempts to squeeze the wallet of North Korea have proven very successful. When banks from across Asia refused to do business with the North Koreans after a bank in Macau was shut down by U.S. sanctions for laundering counterfeit U.S. currency for North Korea, it brought enormous pressure. It was at a point in North Korea where the previous ruler, Kim Jong Il, temporarily the ruler, could not pay his generals. And that was until this effort was dropped with the belief that North Korea would bargain its nuclear program away. Those sanctions were lifted. North Korea got back on its feet. The work that they were doing on missile proliferation could begin again because they had the hard currency again.

There were reports that North Korean counterfeiting of our $100 bills has been ramped up in recent months. News reports indicate that South Korea has given us the information on between 10 and 20 North Korean bank accounts, most of them in China, one of them in Switzerland. One former U.S. official has called that Macau bank--and I have been in Macau and we have seen those $100 bills--he calls that the tip of the iceberg of North Korean illicit activity.

We know what to do now. We know what worked in terms of shutting them down when we were willing to do it. So if we have the will, we can do that again.

Mr. Speaker, North Korea's second nuclear test in 3 years offers a silver lining: clarity of the intentions of that regime. In case we didn't know it before, in case we didn't suspect it when we found that they were helping Syria on the banks of the Euphrates, when they were helping Syria develop a nuclear program, North Korea has dropped the pretense of being willing to negotiate away its nuclear program. We have learned, as Peter King, our colleague from New York, has told us, about the work done on uranium enrichment in addition to the plutonium program. They had a secret underground program that they never divulged to us.

South Korean President Lee Myung-bak, who will be visiting Washington this week, advocated for a new approach with respect to the Six-Party Talks in a weekend interview. That South Korea, our ally for over 60 years, is pressing for a fresh approach should speak volumes to us, and I hope we are listening.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

I rise in strong support of this resolution put forward in March by my good friend and Homeland Security ranking member, Peter King, to show solidarity with our South Korean allies in their hour of need. Its consideration is timely; it is timed to coincide with tomorrow's Washington summit meeting with the President of the Republic of Korea.

North Korea is fast becoming a foreign policy crisis spiraling out of control. In April, there was a long-range missile launch; in May, there was another underground nuclear test. Only 1 week ago, a Pyongyang kangaroo court took the provocative and morally reprehensible act of sentencing captured U.S. citizen journalists Laura Ling and Euna Lee to 12 years in a labor camp. North Korea also continues to hold a South Korean citizen as a hostage. Our thoughts and prayers are with those captives and their families.

The United Nations Security Council has finally passed a resolution with some teeth. Unfortunately, U.N. Resolution 1718, passed in 2006 after Pyongyang's first nuclear test, was ignored when North Korea returned to the negotiating table.

North Korea's response to this latest U.N. resolution has been more bluster and brinkmanship. The North Koreans revealed, to no one's surprise, that they have maintained a highly enriched uranium program all along, in addition to their plutonium program. They now threaten the world with more bombs and possible nuclear war.

Earlier this month, Kim Jong Il sent a patrol boat into South Korean waters to back up his threats made against our South Korean ally. Some are now convinced that there will be a future military confrontation along the DMZ or in the Yellow Sea. And today, 28,500 U.S. military personnel still stand guard in South Korea, a country often called ``the last frontier of the Cold War.''

The ``Dear Leader'' is obviously testing the mettle of this President and this Congress. Kim Jong Il has responded to the outstretched hand of President Obama's inaugural address with missiles, nuclear bombs, the seizure of American citizens, and a threat of war. He is preparing to launch yet another long-range missile, one that could reportedly reach the United States and is likely to conduct yet another underground nuclear test.

I say enough is enough. Now is the time for the consequences which our current North Korean Special Envoy, Stephen Bosworth, promised after the April 5 missile launch. Last week, Secretary Clinton raised the re-listing of North Korea as a state sponsor of terrorism as one possible consequence. But a few days later, the House Rules Committee refused to allow consideration of an amendment to the Foreign Relations Authorization Act, offered by my good friend and ranking member, Representative Ros-Lehtinen, which would have done just that. It is unfortunate that Secretary Clinton would consider this, but not the House leadership.

The time for hesitancy is over, Mr. Speaker. America needs to respond to North Korea.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield to the ranking member, Mr. King from New York, as much time as he may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the ranking member of the Subcommittee on Terrorism, Nonproliferation and Trade, the Member from California (Mr. Royce).

Once again, I want to thank my good friend Peter King, the ranking member of the Homeland Security Committee, for introducing this very important resolution, very timely as well. And I urge quick and unanimous passage.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I stand here today to convey the importance of the passage of H. Res. 309, which urges North Korea to cease all hostile rhetoric and activity toward the Republic of Korea. In the interest of the Korean people, it is imperative that Korea begin to engage in a dialogue in an effort to improve inter- Korean relations. Development can only come about with sincere and diplomatic communication via inter-Korean engagement.

North Korea's nuclear and missile program, and their suspected proliferation, is one of the gravest threats to international peace and stability in Northeast Asia and beyond. The time has come for the North Korean regime to abandon its nuclear weapons and all nuclear programs, and revert to the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) post haste. Yet North Korean leadership continues to pursue its nuclear ambitions while up to 2,000,000 North Koreans reportedly starved to death during the late 1990s and hundreds of thousands fled North Korea in search of freedom and food.

Given the urgency of timing and development on the issue of North Korea's nuclearization, President Obama noted in a call with the Republic of Korea's President Lee Myung-Bak on February 3, 2009, that recent events underscore the immediate need for the United States and the Republic of Korea to work together even more closely to achieve complete and verifiable denuclearization of

North Korea. As North Korea continues to pursue proliferation, time is running out for the plausibility of comprehensive denuclearization. On February 10, 2009, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton stated that North Korea needs to understand that all of the countries in East Asia have made it clear that North Korea's recent behavior is viewed as unacceptable. Furthermore, on February 20, 2009, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton stated, in a joint press conference with the Republic of Korea's Foreign Minister Yu Myung-hwan, that the United States and the Republic of Korea maintain a joint resolve to bring about the complete and verifiable denuclearization of North Korea through the Six-Party Talks. Secretary of State Clinton also stated that North Korea will not be establishing a new and different relationship with the United States while simultaneously insulting and refusing dialogue with the Republic of Korea.

H. Res. 309 additionally requires North Korea's compliance with U.N. Security Council Resolution 1718, which prevents a range of goods from entering or leaving the Democratic People's Republic of Korea and imposes an asset freeze and travel ban on persons related to the nuclear-weapon program, should North Korea's pursuit of nuclearization not cease immediately. The strategic importance of the strong alliance between the United States and the Republic of Korea cannot be overstated. Such an alliance is necessary in promoting peace and prosperity on the Korean Peninsula and in Northeast Asia, and should be recognized.

In conclusion, we have reached a point in time where North Korea must cease their proliferation efforts. Additionally, North Korean leadership should scale back their weapons program by aiming to prevent illicit trafficking in nuclear, chemical or biological weapons. In order to implement change for the people of Korea and improve its image in the international arena, it is necessary that North Korea engage in inter-Korean dialogue. I urge passage of this important resolution.