[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 79 (Monday, May 24, 2010)]
[House]
[Pages H3712-H3714]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




EXPRESSING SYMPATHY TO FAMILIES OF SOUTH KOREAN SEAMEN KILLED BY NORTH 
                                 KOREA

  Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and 
agree to the resolution (H. Res. 1382) expressing sympathy to the 
families of those killed by North Korea in the sinking of the Republic 
of Korea Ship Cheonan, and solidarity with the Republic of Korea in the 
aftermath of this tragic incident.
  The Clerk read the title of the resolution.
  The text of the resolution is as follows:

                              H. Res. 1382

       Whereas, on March 26, 2010, the Republic of Korea Ship 
     (ROKS) Cheonan was sunk by an external explosion in the 
     vicinity of Baengnyeong Island, Republic of Korea;
       Whereas of the 104 members of the crew of the ROKS Cheonan, 
     46 were killed in this incident, including 6 lost at sea;
       Whereas, on April 25, 2010, the Government of the Republic 
     of Korea commenced a 5-day period of mourning for these 46 
     sailors;
       Whereas, on May 20, 2010, the Government of the Republic of 
     Korea released an international investigation report on the 
     circumstances surrounding the sinking of the ROKS Cheonan;
       Whereas the report, conducted by 74 experts, including 24 
     from the international community and 50 from the Republic of 
     Korea, found conclusive evidence that the sinking of the ROKS 
     Cheonan was the result of a torpedo attack made by North 
     Korea, in clear violation of the Korean War Armistice 
     Agreement;
       Whereas the alliance between the United States and the 
     Republic of Korea has been a vital anchor for security and 
     stability in Asia for more than 50 years; and
       Whereas the United States and the Republic of Korea are 
     bound together by the shared values of democracy and the rule 
     of law: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
       (1) expresses its sympathy and condolences to the families 
     and loved ones of the sailors of the Republic of Korea Ship 
     (ROKS) Cheonan who were killed in action on March 26, 2010;
       (2) stands in solidarity with the people and the Government 
     of the Republic of Korea in the aftermath of this tragic 
     incident;
       (3) reaffirms its enduring commitment to the alliance 
     between the Republic of Korea and the United States and to 
     the security of the Republic of Korea;
       (4) supports the findings and conclusions of the 
     investigation report released by the Government of the 
     Republic of Korea on May 20, 2010;
       (5) condemns North Korea in the strongest terms for sinking 
     the ROKS Cheonan;
       (6) calls for an apology by North Korea for its hostile 
     acts and a commitment by North Korea never to violate the 
     Korean War Armistice Agreement again;
       (7) urges the international community to provide all 
     necessary support to the Republic of Korea as the Government 
     of the Republic of Korea prepares to respond to the actions 
     committed by North Korea, which led to sinking of the ROKS 
     Cheonan;
       (8) urges the international community to fully and 
     faithfully implement all United Nations Security Council 
     Resolutions pertaining to security on the Korean Peninsula, 
     including United Nations Security Council Resolution 1695 
     (2006), United Nations Security Council Resolution 1718 
     (2006), and United Nations Security Council Resolution 1874 
     (2009); and
       (9) further urges the United States, in coordination with 
     its allies and partners, to take other appropriate actions in 
     response to the sinking of the ROKS Cheonan and other hostile 
     acts of North Korea.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
American Samoa (Mr. Faleomavaega) and the gentleman from California 
(Mr. Royce) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from American Samoa.


                             General Leave

  Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all 
Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks 
and include extraneous materials on the resolution under consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from American Samoa?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of this 
resolution, and I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Madam Speaker, on March 26, 2010, a South Korean naval ship, the 
Cheonan, was on a routine mission in waters off the west coast of South 
Korea. At 9:22 p.m., an explosion ripped through the Cheonan's hull. 
The ship tilted 90 degrees to starboard and it sank. Of the 104 members 
of the crew on board, 46 sailors died that evening.
  Madam Speaker, our hearts go out for the 46 brave Korean soldiers who 
lost their lives in this tragedy. Again, we express our deepest 
sympathies and condolences to the families and loved ones of these 46 
brave sailors, and may their families be comforted with the fact that 
my colleagues here in this Chamber share their pain and sorrow. And we 
remember well what the Lord said in his Sermon on the Mount: ``Blessed 
are they who mourn, for they shall be comforted.''
  Madam Speaker, despite the immediate suspicion that North Korea was 
responsible for the attack and the shocking loss of life, the Republic 
of South Korea reacted calmly and deliberately. As the country mourned 
its dead, the government formed a Joint Civilian-Military Investigation 
Group to assess the cause of the explosion. The 74-member team, which 
included 24 experts from the United States, Sweden, the United Kingdom, 
and Australia, spent several weeks examining the evidence as 
objectively and scientifically as possible.

[[Page H3713]]

  On May 20, 2010, Madam Speaker, the group released its final report, 
concluding unanimously that ``the Cheonan was attacked and sunk by a 
torpedo that was launched from a small North Korean submarine.'' On the 
day of the report's release, chairman of the House Foreign Affairs 
Committee, Congressman Howard Berman; and the committee's ranking 
member, Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen; chairman of the Foreign 
Affairs Subcommittee on the Middle East and South Asia, Congressman 
Gary Ackerman; and the ranking member of the Foreign Affairs 
Subcommittee on Asia, the Pacific and the Global Environment, 
Congressman Don Manzullo; and I introduced House Resolution 1382, the 
legislation which is now before us.
  We did so to demonstrate America's strong solidarity with the 
Republic of Korea and to call for an appropriate and coordinated 
international response to North Korea's unprovoked and deadly attack. 
We also sought to express our condolences to the families and loved 
ones of those killed, to reaffirm our enduring commitment to the U.S.-
Republic of Korea alliance, and to the security of all good people of 
the Republic of Korea.
  In addition, Madam Speaker, our resolution calls for an apology from 
North Korea for its actions and a commitment by Pyongyang never to 
violate the Korean War Armistice Agreement again. It urges the 
international community to fully implement all United Nations Security 
Council resolutions pertaining to security on the Korean Peninsula, 
including Resolutions 1695, 1718, and 1874. Finally, the resolution 
calls for the United States, in coordination with its allies and 
partners, to take appropriate steps in response to other hostile acts 
perpetrated by North Korea.
  The sinking of the Cheonan was one of the worst violations of the 
Korean war armistice since the end of the Korean war. It took place in 
the wake of other recent North Korean provocations, such as an 
attempted sale of weapons to Hamas and Hezbollah late last year. 
Fortunately, our close friend and strong ally, Thailand, seized the 
plane containing the arms shipment to the Middle East. Last month, 
South Korea also arrested two North Korean agents sent to Seoul to 
assassinate Hwang Jang-yop, the highest ranking North Korean official 
who defected to South Korea.
  Today, South Korea's President Lee Myung-bak said in an address to 
his nation that in responding to the sinking of the Cheonan: ``The 
overriding goal of the Republic of Korea is not military confrontation. 
Our goal has always been the attainment of real peace and stability of 
the Korean Peninsula.'' The President went on to say that ``North Korea 
will pay a price corresponding to its provocative acts.'' That price 
will include stopping all trade and most investments with North Korea, 
as well as closing South Korea's sea lanes to North Korean ships.
  Madam Speaker, House Resolution 1382 shares President Lee's goals and 
his call for a calibrated response to North Korea's provocations. No 
one wants tensions to escalate to the point where another Korean war 
breaks out, but North Korea must understand that its actions have 
consequences, that it cannot violate the armistice, break international 
law, and kill innocent people with impunity. That is why my colleagues 
and I introduced the resolution, and why we now call on all Members of 
this body to join us in supporting it.
  Madam Speaker, I strongly support this resolution, and I urge my 
colleagues to do the same.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. ROYCE. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Madam Speaker, I rise in support of this legislation, which expresses 
condolences to the families of the 46 South Korean sailors who recently 
lost their lives to a North Korea torpedo attack. And this resolution 
appropriately stands in solidarity with our South Korean ally in the 
wake of this assault.
  Last week, South Korea unveiled the results of an international 
investigation, a quite methodical one, into the cause of the sinking of 
this South Korean naval vessel; and the evidence overwhelmingly showed 
what many were all but certain occurred on March 26. It showed that the 
ship was indeed sunk by a North Korean torpedo attack, in clear 
violation of the Korean war armistice.
  Madam Speaker, this incident is offering at long last clarity across 
Asia, after years of delusions about North Korea. Reality is now 
setting in. In Seoul, it is offering clarity about the brutal nature of 
the Stalinist regime that operates in the north. Earlier today, South 
Korea's President Lee Myung-bak addressed the nation, and he announced 
that North Korean vessels will be blocked from South Korean waters. He 
announced also the resumption of radio broadcasts into the north, and 
he announced that cooperative activity with North Korea is meaningless.
  Importantly, he recognized that now is the time for the North Korean 
regime to change. Seoul is coming to grips with a failed sunshine 
policy of previous administrations that hoped against hope that North 
Korea could be dealt with as a normal state. In Tokyo, the attack is 
offering clarity about the role of U.S. forces in the region. Largely 
because of North Korea's provocation, Japan's new government seems 
poised to accept a relocation of U.S. forces on Okinawa.

                              {time}  1430

  This isn't just an issue for the U.S. and Japan but has regional 
implications as U.S. forces there provide breathing space for others in 
the region, including South Korea, which has been alarmed by the 
dispute.
  This crisis is also offering clarity about Beijing's role in 
northeast Asia and beyond because, despite an international 
investigation which included cooperation from Australian and British 
and Swedish and U.S. investigators working with their South Korean 
counterparts, China has now announced that it will complete its own 
assessment of the sinking of the ship.
  Beijing merely called the murder of these 46 sailors ``unfortunate.'' 
Beijing's meek reply came days after it rolled out the red carpet for 
Kim Jung Il and reportedly showered him with 100,000 tons of food and 
100 million in other aid. Today, with senior U.S. officials in China 
for talks, there are reports that China and the U.S. still are not on 
the same page with respect to U.N. sanctions on Iran. So much for a 
responsible China.
  The U.S. should support the efforts of South Korea to take their 
evidence to the U.N. Security Council. That should be the next step.
  I had the opportunity to read accounts in which some have said, well, 
this might be futile, given the fact that Beijing could veto such an 
act. Well, why not press and make them show the world where Beijing 
stands? Does Beijing stand with Kim Jung Il and his recklessness or 
with order and peace, not to mention standing with the grieving 
families of the victims of Kim Jung Il in this case?
  This House is right to stand in solidarity with our South Korean 
ally. This torpedo attack should offer clarity for U.S. policy toward 
North Korea as well. It should wake us up to the nature of the North 
Korean regime and the possibility of dealing diplomatically with that 
government in North Korea.
  This morning, Secretary of State Clinton offered a statement that 
``we ask North Korea to stop its provocative behavior . . . take 
irreversible steps to fulfill its denuclearization commitments and 
comply with international law.'' Well, Madam Speaker, anyone who has 
been watching North Korea over the last 2 months, or the last 2 years, 
knows that statement has no bearing on reality.
  U.S. officials have said that it can no longer be business as usual 
with respect to North Korea, but that statement is business as usual. 
North Korea won't take such steps until there is a fundamental change 
in the government there. And those who have pushed fruitless nuclear 
negotiations with North Korea in this administration and in the last 
administration and ignored the type of regime we're dealing with have 
to ask themselves why North Korea's only definitive response to that 
engagement has come on top of a torpedo.
  Madam Speaker, today we rightly condemn this attack and show 
solidarity with our South Korean allies, but we can and should be doing 
more in the days and weeks ahead to show resolve in the face of North 
Korean aggression. There is a long list of steps that Washington and 
Seoul can and

[[Page H3714]]

should take in lockstep to strengthen deterrence in the region and to 
show that 46 deaths will not go unanswered. We could be relisting North 
Korea as a state sponsor of terrorism. We could be speeding defense 
sales and targeting North Korea's illicit activities, like 
counterfeiting of hundred-dollar U.S. bills and drug running. Congress 
could also pass the U.S.-Korea Free Trade Agreement, demonstrating that 
there will be no retreat by the U.S. from northeast Asia.
  I look forward to working with my colleagues to strengthen the U.S.-
South Korean alliance, which has been a vital anchor for security in 
Asia for more than 50 years, and I look forward to hopefully doing that 
in the immediate weeks to come.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Madam Speaker, I do want to compliment my good 
friend from California for his most eloquent statement, most 
insightful. And I could not agree better with the gentleman's 
suggestion that we should take this matter directly to the Security 
Council of the United Nations with such evidence to show--not to 
embarrass anybody, but to bear the facts out that, I think, this is an 
act--it's an act of war, Madam Speaker. There's no other way that you 
can look at this. And I want to commend my good friend from California 
for making this suggestion.
  It should be brought before the Security Council. There should be 
full deliberations, and let the nations of the world see and witness 
for themselves what this conduct has become. The killing of 46 sailors, 
just unbelievable.
  Mr. ROYCE. Will the gentleman yield?
  Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. I gladly yield to my good friend from California.
  Mr. ROYCE. I concur, and with Adlai Stevenson, we took that tack with 
our Ambassador to the United Nations during the time of the Cuban 
Missile Crisis. He was able to show the hard evidence. South Korea can 
take these same steps, show that hard evidence. I'm in agreement. I 
thank the gentleman for yielding.
  I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Madam Speaker, I just want to note also that over 
the years it has been my privilege in dealing and working with the good 
people and the leaders of South Korea, and I, for one, over the years 
have always said that the principles underlying the Sunshine Policy, as 
it was enunciated and tried, I believe, thankfully, by the late 
President Kim Dae Jung in his efforts to see about bettering 
relationships between North and South Korea.
  I know that there were flaws and shortcomings of the Sunshine Policy. 
And it's to the point now, how much further do we need to show our 
friendship and goodwill to the people and to the leaders of North 
Korea? This act of conduct on the part of North Korea is, no question, 
without excuse.
  I gladly thank my good friend from California for his statement.
  I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from American Samoa (Mr. Faleomavaega) that the House suspend 
the rules and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 1382.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds 
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
  Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Madam Speaker, I object to the vote on the ground 
that a quorum is not present and make the point of order that a quorum 
is not present.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX and the 
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this motion will be 
postponed.
  The point of no quorum is considered withdrawn.

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