[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 45 (Tuesday, April 11, 2000)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E539]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




INTRODUCTION OF H.R. 4228--CONGRESSIONAL OVERSIGHT OF NUCLEAR TRANSFERS 
                     TO THE NORTH KOREA ACT OF 2000

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                        HON. BENJAMIN A. GILMAN

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, April 11, 2000

  Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, today I introduced H.R. 4228, the 
Congressional Oversight of Nuclear Transfers to North Korea Act of 
2000. I am pleased to be joined in offering this bipartisan legislation 
by the distinguished ranking Democratic member of the Subcommittee on 
Telecommunications, Trade, and Consumer Protection of the Committee on 
Commerce, Mr. Markey, and by the distinguished chairman of the 
Subcommittee on Asia and the Pacific of our Committee on International 
Relations, Mr. Bereuter, and by the distinguished chairman of the House 
Republican Policy Committee, Mr. Cox.
  This bill is designed to ensure that any transfers of United States 
nuclear equipment or technology to North Korea pursuant to the Agreed 
Framework of 1994 are carefully reviewed and fully supported by the 
United States Congress before they take place.
  For all practical purposes, this bill already has passed the House of 
Representatives. On July 21st of last year, Congressman Markey and I 
offered an amendment to the Foreign Relations Authorization Act 
requiring the President to certify to Congress that North Korea has 
fulfilled all of its obligations under the Agreed Framework before a 
nuclear cooperation agreement between the United States and North Korea 
can enter into effect. Without such a nuclear cooperation agreement, 
key nuclear components cannot be transferred to North Korea from the 
United States as contemplated in the Agreed Framework. Our amendment 
further required that Congress enact a joint resolution concurring in 
the President's certification before such a nuclear cooperation 
agreement can enter into effect. That amendment was approved with 
strong bipartisan support. The final vote was 305 in favor to 120 
against.
  We later negotiated with the administration over our amendment in the 
conference committee on the Foreign Relations Authorization Act. We 
reached agreement with the administration over the language of the 
certification, but the administration refused to agree that Congress 
should have a role in evaluating North Korea's compliance with the 
Agreed Framework by means of a requirement that Congress enact a joint 
resolution concurring in the President's certification. Our 
certification requirement was enacted into law late last year as the 
North Korea Threat Reduction Act of 2000.
  The bill we are introducing today amends the North Korea Threat 
Reduction Act to require that Congress concur in any certification 
submitted by the President pursuant to that act before a nuclear 
cooperation agreement between the United States and North Korea can 
enter into effect. To ensure that the Congress will carefully review 
such a certification, our bill includes expedited procedures for 
consideration in both the House and Senate of a joint resolution 
concurring in the President's certification.

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