[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 19 (Monday, January 29, 2018)]
[Senate]
[Page S552]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         SUBMITTED RESOLUTIONS

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SENATE RESOLUTION 384--CONGRATULATING THE REPUBLIC OF KOREA FOR HOSTING 
 THE 2018 WINTER OLYMPIC GAMES AND SUPPORTING THE ALLIANCE BETWEEN THE 
                UNITED STATES AND THE REPUBLIC OF KOREA

  Mr. GARDNER (for himself, Mr. Markey, Mr. Rubio, Mr. Merkley, Mr. 
Barrasso, Mr. Isakson, Mr. Cornyn, Mr. Cassidy, Mr. Young, Mr. Hoeven, 
Mr. Boozman, Mr. Johnson, Ms. Duckworth, Ms. Warren, Mrs. Feinstein, 
Ms. Hirono, Mr. Hatch, Mr. Coons, Ms. Baldwin, Mr. Reed, and Mr. 
Wicker) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the 
Committee on Foreign Relations:

                              S. Res. 384

       Whereas the 23rd Olympic Winter Games (referred to in this 
     preamble as ``Olympic Winter Games PyeongChang 2018'') will 
     be held from February 9 to February 25, 2018, in PyeongChang, 
     Gangwon Province in the Republic of Korea;
       Whereas the Olympic Winter Games PyeongChang 2018 
     represents the second Olympic Games hosted by the Republic of 
     Korea;
       Whereas the Republic of Korea hosted the Olympic Games for 
     the first time in Seoul in the summer of 1988;
       Whereas the Olympic Winter Games PyeongChang 2018 will 
     feature--
       (1) 102 events across 15 disciplines; and
       (2) the participation of 93 National Olympic Committee 
     teams;
       Whereas the United States Olympic Team is expected to 
     comprise approximately 240 athletes competing across all 15 
     disciplines;
       Whereas the United States Olympic Committee is 
     headquartered in Colorado Springs, Colorado;
       Whereas the Republic of Korea will also host in PyeongChang 
     the 12th Paralympic Games from March 9 to March 18, 2018 that 
     will feature--
       (1) 80 events across 6 disciplines; and
       (2) the participation of approximately 42 National Olympic 
     Committee teams;
       Whereas the theme of the Olympic Winter Games PyeongChang 
     2018 is ``Passion. Connected.'' and refers to the vision of 
     the Republic of Korea of a world in which everyone is 
     connected through a shared passion for winter sports;
       Whereas on November 13, 2017, the United Nations General 
     Assembly adopted by consensus a resolution entitled 
     ``Building a peaceful and better world through sport and the 
     Olympic ideal'';
       Whereas that resolution expresses the expectation of the 
     United Nations General Assembly that ``PyeongChang 2018 will 
     be a meaningful opportunity to foster an atmosphere of peace, 
     development, tolerance, and understanding on the Korean 
     Peninsula and in Northeast Asia'';
       Whereas on January 4, 2018, President Donald J. Trump and 
     President Moon Jae-In of the Republic of Korea discussed 
     recent developments on the Korean Peninsula and agreed that 
     ``the United States and the Republic of Korea are committed 
     to a safe and successful 2018 Winter Olympic Games in 
     PyeongChang'';
       Whereas President Trump conveyed to President Moon that 
     ``the United States will send a high-level delegation to the 
     Olympics,'' which will be led by Vice President Michael R. 
     Pence and Second Lady Karen Pence;
       Whereas President Trump and President Moon further agreed 
     to ``de-conflict the Olympics and our military exercises so 
     that United States and Republic of Korea forces can focus on 
     ensuring the security of the Games'';
       Whereas the Republic of Korea and the Democratic People's 
     Republic of Korea (referred to in this preamble as ``DPRK'') 
     recently reopened a telephone hotline ``to normalize the 
     Panmunjom communications channel'' at the Joint Security Area 
     located in the Demilitarized Zone;
       Whereas on January 9, 2018, representatives of the Republic 
     of Korea and the DPRK held the first official talks in more 
     than 2 years with the aim of discussing cooperation during 
     the Olympic Winter Games PyeongChang 2018;
       Whereas the DPRK has indicated that it plans to participate 
     in the Olympic Winter Games PyeongChang 2018;
       Whereas the DPRK is currently in violation of United 
     Nations Security Council Resolutions 1718 (2006), 1874 
     (2009), 2087 (2013), 2094 (2013), 2270 (2016), 2321 (2016), 
     2371 (2017), 2375 (2017), and 2397 (2017) that--
       (1) condemn the illicit nuclear and ballistic missile 
     programs of the DPRK; and
       (2) impose economic sanctions against the DPRK and entities 
     that enable the DPRK; and
       Whereas the DPRK engages in gross human rights abuses 
     against the citizens of the DPRK and the citizens of other 
     countries, including the United States and the Republic of 
     Korea: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) reaffirms the strong and unwavering commitment of the 
     United States to an ally, the Republic of Korea, to support, 
     participate in, and help ensure the safety and security of 
     the 23rd Olympic Winter Games (referred to in this resolving 
     clause as ``Olympic Winter Games PyeongChang 2018'');
       (2) recognizes the importance of the Olympic Winter Games 
     PyeongChang 2018 as a leading international sporting event of 
     genuine sportsmanship and fair play that can contribute to 
     peace and prosperity on the Korean Peninsula, in Northeast 
     Asia, and around the world;
       (3) reaffirms that the United States, the Republic of 
     Korea, and other partners remain committed to pursuing the 
     policy of ``maximum pressure and engagement'' toward the 
     Democratic People's Republic of Korea (referred to in this 
     resolving clause as ``DPRK''), including by fully abiding by 
     the letter and spirit of the resolutions of the United 
     Nations Security Council;
       (4) expresses hope that the Olympic Winter Games 
     PyeongChang 2018 will contribute to the decision by the DPRK 
     to engage in negotiations that will result in complete, 
     verifiable, and irreversible denuclearization of the Korean 
     Peninsula; and
       (5) wishes every success in preparing and hosting the 
     Olympic Winter Games PyeongChang 2018 to the government and 
     people of the Republic of Korea and the PyeongChang 
     Organizing Committee for the 2018 Olympic and Paralympic 
     Winter Games.

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