[Congressional Bills 111th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 309 Introduced in House (IH)]

111th CONGRESS
  1st Session
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.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             March 31, 2009

   Mr. King of New York (for himself, Mr. Meeks of New York, Ms. Ros-
 Lehtinen, Ms. Bordallo, Mr. Burton of Indiana, Mr. Towns, Mr. Garrett 
 of New Jersey, Mr. Courtney, and Ms. Watson) submitted the following 
   resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
 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.

Whereas North Korea's nuclear and missile programs, and their suspected 
        proliferation, are threatening peace and stability in Northeast Asia and 
        beyond;
Whereas the 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;
Whereas, on October 18, 2004, H.R. 4011, the North Korean Human Rights Act, 
        became Public Law 108-333, bringing attention to the human rights 
        conditions in North Korea and to provide United States support for North 
        Korean refugees;
Whereas, on October 9, 2006, North Korea detonated a nuclear explosive device 
        prompting the United Nations Security Council to adopt military and 
        economic sanctions against North Korea through Resolution 1718;
Whereas, on June 30, 2008, H.R. 2642, the Supplemental Appropriations Act, 
        became Public Law 110-252, granting the President the authority to waive 
        the Glenn Amendment sanctions in order to facilitate North Korea's 
        denuclearization process and to provide heavy fuel oil energy assistance 
        to North Korea in support of the Six-Party Talks;
Whereas, on October 7, 2008, the North Korean Human Rights Reauthorization Act 
        became Public Law 110-346;
Whereas, on October 11, 2008, North Korea was removed from the United States 
        list of state sponsors of terrorism;
Whereas, on October 15, 2008, the Naval Vessel Transfer Act became Public Law 
        110-429 and included provisions to upgrade the Republic of Korea's 
        foreign military sales status to that of ``NATO plus three'';
Whereas, on January 30, 2009, North Korea announced that it would nullify all 
        inter-Korean agreements that are in pursuit of putting an end to the 
        state of political and military confrontations and abrogate the 
        agreements on the Sea Demarcation Line, known as the ``Northern Limit 
        Line'';
Whereas, on February 3, 2009, President Barack Obama stated, in a call with the 
        Republic of Korea's President Lee Myung-bak, that recent events 
        underscore the 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;
Whereas, on February 10, 2009, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton stated that 
        North Korea must understand that all of the countries in East Asia have 
        made it clear that North Korea's recent behavior is viewed as 
        unacceptable;
Whereas, 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 and that 
        North Korea is not going to get a different relationship with the United 
        States while insulting and refusing dialogue with the Republic of Korea;
Whereas for more than a year, North Korea has refused proposals from the 
        Republic of Korea for mutual dialogue and also has refused to fully 
        implement the Six-Party agreements on denuclearization;
Whereas North Korea is reportedly preparing for an intercontinental ballistic 
        missile test; and
Whereas in the face of serious security challenges on the Korean Peninsula, 
        including the recent North Korean hostilities towards the Republic of 
        Korea, the alliance between the United States and the Republic of Korea 
        remains resilient and firm, based on shared values, mutual trust, and 
        common interests: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That it is the sense of the House of Representatives 
that--
            (1) 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;
            (2) North Korea should fully implement the Six-Party joint 
        statement of September 19, 2005, verifiably abandon all of its 
        nuclear weapons and existing nuclear programs, and return to 
        the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) at an early date;
            (3) North Korea should comply with United Nations Security 
        Council Resolution 1718;
            (4) the United States remains committed to the promotion of 
        inter-Korean dialogue and cooperation; and
            (5) the strategic importance of the strong alliance between 
        the United States and the Republic of Korea, in promoting peace 
        and prosperity on the Korean Peninsula and in Northeast Asia, 
        should be recognized.
                                 <all>