[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 149 (Thursday, September 14, 2017)]
[House]
[Pages H7416-H7417]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     SANCTIONS AGAINST NORTH KOREA

  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Budd). Under the Speaker's announced 
policy of January 3, 2017, the gentleman from Arkansas (Mr. Hill) is 
recognized for 60 minutes as the designee of the majority leader.
  Mr. HILL. I thank the Chair for recognizing me for this Special Order 
hour.
  Mr. Speaker, this week in Congress, we have considered in the House 
Financial Services Committee legislation that will increase and expand 
the sanctions against the government and the dictators in North Korea.
  Mr. Speaker, the north Asian region and our allies there are of 
critical importance to the United States economically. South Korea and 
Japan are major economic partners of the United States. Both countries 
represent a major partnership in our security interests in north Asia, 
and so it is fitting that we continue to work in Congress, along with 
the Trump administration, to increase the financial sanctions and 
economic sanctions on the rogue government in North Korea.
  For our citizens, it is important to trace back the history of U.S. 
sanctions and the relationship with North Korea. Going back four 
Presidents--Trump, Obama, Bush 43, and Clinton--we have been dealing 
with North Korea.
  President Clinton agreed to a ``freeze'' and ``dismantlement'' of the 
North Korean nuclear program, Mr. Speaker; and as a result, the North 
Koreans agreed to inspections, and the United States, along with its 
allies, agreed to $4 billion in payments to the regime. That was in 
1994, Mr. Speaker. We don't have much to show for that effort.
  In January, in the State of the Union, 2002, President Bush 43 
described North Korea as part of the axis of evil, including Iraq and 
Iran. Clearly, the North Koreans were not complying with Mr. Clinton's 
agreement, but the post-9/11 world of the United States had our 
government, our diplomacy, our military, our sanctions regime focused 
on the Middle East, focused on Afghanistan, Iraq, and, indeed, Iran.
  And then you come to the period of President Obama, where his 
strategy with North Korea was one of strategic patience. We have had 8 
years, Mr. Speaker, of strategic patience, and what have we got to show 
for that? Unprecedented numbers of ballistic missile flights, 
unprecedented numbers of nuclear tests.
  So, Mr. Speaker, after over two decades, it was time for a change.
  Mr. Speaker, I want to take the floor of the House today and thank 
the leadership of President Trump and his very capable national 
security team, led by Secretary Mattis, Secretary Tillerson, for ending 
strategic patience and for taking our country and the world in a 
different direction to end the nuclear ambitions of North Korea.
  Now, the United States, on a bipartisan basis in this House and in 
the upper Chamber, in the Senate, along with the Trump administration, 
is fully onboard with using all the tools that we have to once and for 
all lead to denuclearization of the peninsula and end North Korea's 
rogue program to join the group of nuclear nations. They have taken 
themselves out of nuclear nonproliferation. They are a rogue nation.
  I am very pleased to see Secretary Mnuchin at the Treasury focus on 
what

[[Page H7417]]

new financial sanctions under current law the United States can pursue 
by our Treasury Department.
  I am very pleased with Chairman Royce of the House Foreign Affairs 
Committee, Ranking Member Engel, and the Financial Services Committee 
for their collaboration on legislation on how we enhance sanctions that 
the United States can place on people doing business with North Korea 
and North Korea itself.
  Mr. Speaker, I want to congratulate our Ambassador to the United 
Nations, Ambassador Haley, for not one, but two 15-0 votes in the U.N. 
Security Council on ratcheting up the pressure on sanctions. Those are 
important.
  But the most important thing is, Mr. Speaker, whether it is secondary 
sanctions and sanctions in the United States put on others by the U.S. 
alone or multilateral sanctions imposed by the U.N. Security Council, 
the secret is enforcement. We must have enforcement.
  When you look back over this two-decade period, you can't really come 
to the conclusion that we have ever seriously sanctioned the rogue 
government in North Korea, not to the extent that we have done with 
Iran, not to the extent that we did with Iraq, the two other partners 
in President Bush's axis of evil.
  So the time is now, Mr. Speaker, to use all of our skills and 
abilities: diplomatically, as led by Secretary Tillerson; economically, 
as led by Secretary Mnuchin and our worthy, great leader, our 
Ambassador at the United Nations; and in military strategy with our 
allies, under Secretary Mattis. We have the support of the world now, 
Mr. Speaker, and this is no time to not bear down and get that kind of 
enforcement.
  I was so delighted on behalf of the Congress and on behalf of the 
United States that, just yesterday, Prime Minister Modi in India and 
Prime Minister Abe, on a visit to India, reiterated their strong 
support for enforcement of the United Nations sanctions.
  Mr. Speaker, I want to thank this administration for taking a new 
look and taking North Korea's ambitions seriously and taking the issue 
of using all of our absolute capabilities, whether they are diplomatic, 
economic, or military, to end this rogue nation's nuclear ambitions.


                        Girl Scouts STEM Badges

  Mr. HILL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today and come to the House floor to 
recognize the Girl Scouts of America, which recently announced that 
they are adding 23 new badges related to science, technology, 
engineering, math, and the outdoors. These new STEM badges come a month 
after Girl Scouts of the USA added cybersecurity badges to promote 
computer and internet literacy and cybersecurity. These new initiatives 
within the Girl Scouts were a reflection of its ability to adapt to the 
ever-changing skills essential to the development of our youth in this 
century.
  As an Eagle Scout, I understand the importance of values and skills 
acquired through scouting, and I commend the Girl Scouts for 
encouraging our youth to explore these innovative scientific fields.
  As a member of the Congressional Scouting Caucus, I will continue to 
support the good work of Girl Scouts of the USA, and I look forward to 
following its continued success for generations of young women to come.


                  Recognizing the Life of Adam McClung

  Mr. HILL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the life of a man 
who had an indelible impact on Arkansas and our Nation, Mr. Adam 
McClung, who passed away last month at 37 years young.
  Adam was a husband, a father, and a champion of the cattle industry 
in Arkansas while he served as the executive vice president of the 
Arkansas Cattlemen's Association.
  A graduate of Greenbrier High School in the beautiful Second 
Congressional District, Adam attended Oklahoma State University, where 
he studied agriculture, business economics, and animal science.
  In 2014, Adam was recognized by the White House and the U.S. 
Department of Agriculture as a ``Champion of Change.'' He was one of 
only 15 individuals from around our country to be recognized as a 
leader in his industry that year.
  Adam's passion and drive will be missed throughout Arkansas and the 
cattle industry.
  He is survived by his wife, Chantel, and a daughter, Maggie Blair.
  I extend my respect, affection, and prayers for the family and his 
loved ones.

                              {time}  1300


      Remembering Melvin Pickens, the ``Broom Man'' of Little Rock

  Mr. HILL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to acknowledge and remember the 
unrelenting, optimistic world view of Melvin Pickens, a constituent 
affectionately known around Little Rock as the ``Broom Man.'' Mr. 
Pickens passed away at age 84 in June, after battling numerous health 
issues.
  The Broom Man earned his nickname over a 60-year tenure purchasing 
iconic, red-handled brooms at wholesale and selling them to passersby 
for $10.
  I remember Melvin fondly at my many breakfasts at the Ozark 
Smokehouse Restaurant in Little Rock, and including my past broom 
purchases.
  Through a never-ending battle with legal blindness, and an unexpected 
stroke, which made carrying brooms over his shoulder incredibly 
difficult, Melvin never ceased to retain a positive, hopeful attitude. 
His hard work, determination, and unyielding perseverance, and never 
quitting, enabled him to provide his late wife and four children a 
wonderful life. And all four of those children attended college.
  The Broom Man is an everlasting testament to the value of having a 
rigorous work ethic, an optimistic world view, and being genuinely a 
caring person.


  Recognizing Arkansas National Guard Staff Sergeant Tasheenia Wallace

  Mr. HILL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Arkansas National 
Guard Staff Sergeant Tasheenia Wallace for becoming the first woman to 
ever complete the Arkansas National Guard Infantry Course.
  On July 26, Staff Sergeant Wallace graduated from the Infantry 
Transition Course, a 2-week residency training program at the Robinson 
Maneuver Training Center in North Little Rock. She was 1 of 22 people 
to complete the program, which allows soldiers who are already serving 
to change their current military occupational specialty to infantry.
  Staff Sergeant Wallace now holds four different occupational 
specialties: administration, logistics, chemicals, and now hard-earned 
infantry. With this training, she is able to command a squad, usually 
composed of 7 to 10 soldiers.
  My congratulations and best wishes to Staff Sergeant Wallace and her 
bright future defending our Nation.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

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