[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 67 Reported in Senate (RS)]
<DOC>
Calendar No. 59
116th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. RES. 67
Expressing the sense of the Senate on the importance and vitality of
the United States alliances with Japan and the Republic of Korea, and
our trilateral cooperation in the pursuit of shared interests.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
February 12, 2019
Mr. Menendez (for himself, Mr. Gardner, and Mr. Markey) submitted the
following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign
Relations
April 4, 2019
Reported by Mr. Risch, without amendment and with an amendment to the
preamble
[Strike the preamble and insert the part printed in italic]
_______________________________________________________________________
RESOLUTION
Expressing the sense of the Senate on the importance and vitality of
the United States alliances with Japan and the Republic of Korea, and
our trilateral cooperation in the pursuit of shared interests.
Whereas the governments and the people of the United States, Japan, and the
Republic of Korea share comprehensive and dynamic partnerships and
personal friendships rooted in shared interests and the common values of
freedom, democracy, and free market economies;
Whereas the United States, Japan, and the Republic of Korea are all free
societies committed to the principles of inclusive democracy, respect
for human potential, and the belief that the peaceful spread of these
principles will result in a safer and brighter future for all of
mankind;
Whereas the United States, Japan, and the Republic of Korea are indispensable
partners in tackling global challenges and have pledged significant
support for efforts to counter violent extremism, combat the
proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, prevent piracy, improve
global health and energy security, promote human rights, address climate
change, contribute to economic development around the world, and assist
the victims of conflict and disaster worldwide;
Whereas the governments and the people of the United States, Japan, and the
Republic of Korea all share a commitment to free and open markets, high
standards for the free flow of commerce and trade, and the establishment
of an inclusive, transparent, and sustainable architecture for regional
and global trade and development;
Whereas the United States-Japan and the United States-Republic of Korea
alliances are the foundation of regional stability in Asia, including
against the threat posed by the regime in Pyongyang;
Whereas cooperation between and among our nations spans economic, energy,
diplomatic, security, and cultural spheres;
Whereas the United States and Japan established diplomatic relations on March
31, 1854, with the signing of the Treaty of Peace and Amity;
Whereas the relationship between the peoples of the United States and the
Republic of Korea stretches back to Korea's Chosun Dynasty, when the
United States and Korea established diplomatic relations under the 1882
Treaty of Peace, Amity, Commerce, and Navigation;
Whereas 2019 marks the 74th anniversary of the end of World War II, a conflict
in which the United States and Japan were enemies, and the strength of
the United States-Japan alliance is a testament to the ability of great
countries to overcome the past and to work together to create a more
secure and prosperous future;
Whereas the United States-Korea alliance was forged in blood, with United States
military casualties during the Korean War of approximately 36,574 killed
and more than 103,284 wounded, and with Republic of Korea casualties of
more than 217,000 soldiers killed, more than 291,000 soldiers missing,
and over 1,000,000 civilians killed or missing;
Whereas, for the past 70 years, the partnership between the United States and
Japan has played a vital role, both in Asia and globally, in ensuring
peace, stability, and economic development;
Whereas, approximately 50,000 United States military personnel serve in Japan,
along with some of the United States most advanced defense assets,
including the 7th Fleet and the USS Ronald Reagan, the only United
States aircraft carrier to be homeported outside the United States;
Whereas, since the Mutual Defense Treaty Between the United States and the
Republic of Korea, signed in Washington on October 1, 1953, and ratified
by the Senate on January 26, 1954, United States military personnel have
maintained a continuous presence on the Korean Peninsula, and
approximately 28,500 United States troops are stationed in the Republic
of Korea in 2019;
Whereas the United States and the Republic of Korea have stood alongside each
other in the four major wars the United States has fought outside Korea
since World War II--in Vietnam, the Persian Gulf, Afghanistan, and Iraq;
Whereas Japan is the fourth-largest United States trading partner and together
with the United States represents 30 percent of global Gross Domestic
Product, and Japanese firms have invested $469,000,000,000 in the United
States;
Whereas, the economic relationship between the United States and its sixth-
largest trading partner, the Republic of Korea, has been facilitated by
the United States-Korea Free Trade Agreement (KORUS), which entered into
force on March 15, 2012, and was amended as of January 1, 2019, includes
358,000 jobs in the United States that are directly related to exports
to the Republic of Korea, and has resulted in more than $40,000,000,000
in investments by Korean firms in the United States;
Whereas Japan and the Republic of Korea stand as strong partners of the United
States in efforts to ensure maritime security and freedom of navigation,
commerce, and overflight and to uphold respect for the rule of law and
to oppose the use of coercion, intimidation, or force to change the
regional or global status quo, including in the maritime domains of the
Indo-Pacific, which are among the busiest waterways in the world;
Whereas the United States, Japan, and the Republic of Korea are committed to
working together towards a world where the Democratic People's Republic
of Korea (in this preamble referred to as the ``DPRK'') does not
threaten global peace and security with its weapons of mass destruction,
missile proliferation, and illicit activities, and where the DPRK
respects human rights and its people can live in freedom;
Whereas section 211 of the North Korea Sanctions and Policy Enhancement Act of
2016 (22 U.S.C. 9231; Public Law 114-122) expresses the sense of
Congress that the President ``should seek to strengthen high-level
trilateral mechanisms for discussion and coordination of policy toward
North Korea between the Government of the United States, the Government
of South Korea, and the Government of Japan'';
Whereas the Asia Reassurance Initiative Act of 2018 (Public Law 115-409)
underscores the importance of trilateral defense cooperation and
enforcement of multilateral sanctions against North Korea and calls for
regular consultation with Congress on the status of such efforts;
Whereas the United States, Japan, and the Republic of Korea have made great
strides in promoting trilateral cooperation and defense partnership,
including ministerial meetings, information sharing, and cooperation on
ballistic missile defense exercises to counter North Korean
provocations;
Whereas Japanese Americans and Korean Americans have made invaluable
contributions to the security, prosperity, and diversity of our Nation,
including service as our elected representatives in the Senate and in
the House of Representatives; and
Whereas the United States Government looks forward to continuing to deepen our
enduring partnerships with Japan and the Republic of Korea on economic,
security, and cultural issues, as well as embracing new opportunities
for bilateral and trilateral partnerships and cooperation on emerging
regional and global challenges: Now, therefore, be it
Whereas the governments and the people of the United States, Japan, and the
Republic of Korea share comprehensive and dynamic partnerships and
personal friendships rooted in shared interests and the common values of
freedom, democracy, and free market economies;
Whereas the United States, Japan, and the Republic of Korea are all free
societies committed to the principles of inclusive democracy, respect
for human potential, and the belief that the peaceful spread of these
principles will result in a safer and brighter future for all of
mankind;
Whereas the United States, Japan, and the Republic of Korea are indispensable
partners in tackling global challenges and have pledged significant
support for efforts to counter violent extremism, combat the
proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, prevent piracy, improve
global health and energy security, promote human rights, address climate
change, contribute to economic development around the world, and assist
the victims of conflict and disaster worldwide;
Whereas the governments and the people of the United States, Japan, and the
Republic of Korea all share a commitment to free and open markets, high
standards for the free flow of commerce and trade, and the establishment
of an inclusive, transparent, and sustainable architecture for regional
and global trade and development;
Whereas the United States-Japan and the United States-Republic of Korea
alliances are the foundation of regional stability in Asia, including
against the threat posed by the regime in Pyongyang;
Whereas cooperation between and among our nations spans economic, energy,
diplomatic, security, and cultural spheres;
Whereas the United States and Japan established diplomatic relations on March
31, 1854, with the signing of the Treaty of Peace and Amity;
Whereas the relationship between the peoples of the United States and the
Republic of Korea stretches back to Korea's Chosun Dynasty, when the
United States and Korea established diplomatic relations under the 1882
Treaty of Peace, Amity, Commerce, and Navigation;
Whereas 2019 marks the 74th anniversary of the end of World War II, a conflict
in which the United States and Japan were enemies, and the strength of
the United States-Japan alliance is a testament to the ability of great
countries to overcome the past and to work together to create a more
secure and prosperous future;
Whereas the United States-Korea alliance was forged in blood, with United States
military casualties during the Korean War of approximately 36,574 killed
and more than 103,284 wounded, and with Republic of Korea casualties of
more than 217,000 soldiers killed, more than 429,000 soldiers wounded,
and 1,000,000 civilians killed or missing;
Whereas, for the past 70 years, the partnership between the United States and
Japan has played a vital role, both in Asia and globally, in ensuring
peace, stability, and economic development;
Whereas, approximately 54,000 United States military personnel serve in Japan,
along with some of the United States most advanced defense assets,
including the 7th Fleet and the USS Ronald Reagan, the only United
States aircraft carrier to be homeported outside the United States;
Whereas, since the Mutual Defense Treaty Between the United States and the
Republic of Korea, signed in Washington on October 1, 1953, and ratified
by the Senate on January 26, 1954, United States military personnel have
maintained a continuous presence on the Korean Peninsula, and
approximately 28,500 United States troops are stationed in the Republic
of Korea in 2019;
Whereas the United States and the Republic of Korea have stood alongside each
other in the four major wars the United States has fought outside Korea
since World War II--in Vietnam, the Persian Gulf, Afghanistan, and Iraq;
Whereas Japan is the fourth-largest United States trading partner and together
with the United States represents 30 percent of global Gross Domestic
Product, and Japanese firms have invested approximately $498,000,000,000
in the United States;
Whereas, the economic relationship between the United States and its sixth-
largest trading partner, the Republic of Korea, has been facilitated by
the United States-Korea Free Trade Agreement (KORUS), which entered into
force on March 15, 2012, and was amended as of January 1, 2019, includes
358,000 jobs in the United States that are directly related to exports
to the Republic of Korea, and has resulted in approximately
$51,800,000,000 in investments by Korean firms in the United States;
Whereas Japan and the Republic of Korea stand as strong partners of the United
States in efforts to ensure maritime security and freedom of navigation,
commerce, and overflight and to uphold respect for the rule of law and
to oppose the use of coercion, intimidation, or force to change the
regional or global status quo, including in the maritime domains of the
Indo-Pacific, which are among the busiest waterways in the world;
Whereas the United States, Japan, and the Republic of Korea are committed to
working together towards a world where the Democratic People's Republic
of Korea (in this preamble referred to as the ``DPRK'') does not
threaten global peace and security with its weapons of mass destruction,
missile proliferation, and illicit activities, and where the DPRK
respects human rights and its people can live in freedom;
Whereas section 211 of the North Korea Sanctions and Policy Enhancement Act of
2016 (22 U.S.C. 9231; Public Law 114-122) expresses the sense of
Congress that the President ``should seek to strengthen high-level
trilateral mechanisms for discussion and coordination of policy toward
North Korea between the Government of the United States, the Government
of South Korea, and the Government of Japan'';
Whereas the Asia Reassurance Initiative Act of 2018 (Public Law 115-409)
underscores the importance of trilateral defense cooperation and
enforcement of multilateral sanctions against North Korea and calls for
regular consultation with Congress on the status of such efforts;
Whereas the United States, Japan, and the Republic of Korea have made great
strides in promoting trilateral cooperation and defense partnership,
including ministerial meetings, information sharing, and cooperation on
ballistic missile defense exercises to counter North Korean
provocations;
Whereas Japanese Americans and Korean Americans have made invaluable
contributions to the security, prosperity, and diversity of our Nation,
including service as our elected representatives in the Senate and in
the House of Representatives; and
Whereas the United States Government looks forward to continuing to deepen our
enduring partnerships with Japan and the Republic of Korea on economic,
security, and cultural issues, as well as embracing new opportunities
for bilateral and trilateral partnerships and cooperation on emerging
regional and global challenges: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the Senate reaffirms the importance of--
(1) the vital role of the alliances between the United
States and Japan and the United States and the Republic of
Korea in promoting peace, stability, and security in the Indo-
Pacific region, including through United States extended
deterrence, and reaffirms the commitment of the United States
to defend Japan, including all areas under the administration
of Japan, under Article V of the Treaty of Mutual Cooperation
and Security Between the United States of America and Japan,
and to defend the Republic of Korea under Article III of the
Mutual Defense Treaty Between the United States and the
Republic of Korea;
(2) a constructive and forward-looking relationship between
Japan and the Republic of Korea for United States diplomatic,
economic, and security interests and for open and inclusive
architecture to support the development of a secure, stable,
and prosperous Indo-Pacific region;
(3) strengthening and broadening diplomatic, economic,
security, and people-to-people ties between and among the
United States, Japan, and the Republic of Korea;
(4) developing and implementing a strategy to deepen the
trilateral diplomatic and security cooperation between the
United States, Japan, and the Republic of Korea, including
through diplomatic engagement, regional development, energy
security, scientific and health partnerships, educational and
cultural exchanges, missile defense, intelligence-sharing,
space, cyber, and other diplomatic and defense-related
initiatives;
(5) trilateral cooperation with members of the United
Nations Security Council and other Member States to fully and
effectively enforce sanctions against the Democratic People's
Republic of Korea (in this resolution referred to as the
``DPRK'') and evaluate additional and meaningful new measures
toward the DPRK under Article 41 of the United Nations Charter;
(6) trilateral cooperation to support and uphold a rules-
based trade and economic order in the Indo-Pacific region,
including the empowerment of women, which is vital for the
prosperity of all our nations;
(7) supporting the expansion of academic and cultural
exchanges among the three nations, especially efforts to
encourage Japanese and Korean students to study at universities
in the United States, and vice versa, to deepen people-to-
people ties; and
(8) continued cooperation among the governments of the
United States, Japan, and the Republic of Korea to promote
human rights.
Calendar No. 59
116th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. RES. 67
_______________________________________________________________________
RESOLUTION
Expressing the sense of the Senate on the importance and vitality of
the United States alliances with Japan and the Republic of Korea, and
our trilateral cooperation in the pursuit of shared interests.
_______________________________________________________________________
April 4, 2019
Reported without amendment and with an amendment to the preamble