[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 172 (Tuesday, January 1, 2013)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2027]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




            H.R. 1464, THE NORTH KOREA REFUGEE ADOPTION ACT

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. CHRIS VAN HOLLEN

                              of maryland

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, January 1, 2013

  Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise as a cosponsor of H.R. 1464, the 
North Korea Refugee Adoption Act, and to thank Mr. Royce and Ranking 
Member Berman for their efforts on this important bi-partisan bill.
  This measure was introduced to assist North Korean children living 
``stateless'' outside of that country who face starvation and neglect 
because they are neither North Korean citizens nor citizens of the 
country where they currently reside. Many of these children have 
Chinese fathers and North Korean mothers but are not claimed by either 
parent, and being stateless, don't have access to the resources of 
either country.
  The bill encourages the Homeland and State Departments to develop 
strategies to help reunite North Korean refugee children with their 
families or to facilitate the adoption of the children by citizens of 
South Korea, China or other countries. In the Senate, the bill was 
amended to require the Secretary of State to designate a representative 
to regularly brief the Congress on U.S. efforts to advocate for the 
best interests of North Korean children.
  There are many American families who would love to give a home to 
these orphans and refugee children if they could. This bill will help 
to facilitate that process. I encourage my colleagues to join me in 
support of the bill.

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