[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 62 (Wednesday, April 10, 2019)]
[Senate]
[Pages S2395-S2397]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
EXPRESSING THE SENSE OF THE SENATE ON THE IMPORTANCE AND VITALITY OF
THE UNITED STATES ALLIANCES WITH JAPAN AND THE REPUBLIC OF KOREA
Mr. BARRASSO. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate
proceed to the immediate consideration of Calendar No. 59, S. Res. 67.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the resolution by title.
The bill clerk read as follows:
A resolution (S. Res. 67) expressing the sense of the
Senate on the importance and vitality of the United States
alliances with Japan and the Republic of Korea, and our
trilateral cooperation in the pursuit of shared interests.
There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the
resolution which had been reported from the Committee on Foreign
Relations, without amendment, and with an amendment to the preamble, as
follows:
Whereas the governments and the people of the United
States, Japan, and the Republic of Korea share comprehensive
and dynamic partnerships and personal friendships rooted in
shared interests and the common values of freedom, democracy,
and free market economies;
Whereas the United States, Japan, and the Republic of Korea
are all free societies committed to the principles of
inclusive democracy, respect for human potential, and the
belief that the peaceful spread of these principles will
result in a safer and brighter future for all of mankind;
Whereas the United States, Japan, and the Republic of Korea
are indispensable partners in tackling global challenges and
have pledged significant support for efforts to counter
violent extremism, combat the proliferation of weapons of
mass destruction, prevent piracy, improve global health and
energy security, promote human rights, address climate
change, contribute to economic development around the world,
and assist the victims of conflict and disaster worldwide;
Whereas the governments and the people of the United
States, Japan, and the Republic of Korea all share a
commitment to free and open markets, high standards for the
free flow of commerce and trade, and the establishment of an
inclusive, transparent, and sustainable architecture for
regional and global trade and development;
Whereas the United States-Japan and the United States-
Republic of Korea alliances are the foundation of regional
stability in Asia, including against the threat posed by the
regime in Pyongyang;
Whereas cooperation between and among our nations spans
economic, energy, diplomatic, security, and cultural spheres;
Whereas the United States and Japan established diplomatic
relations on March 31, 1854, with the signing of the Treaty
of Peace and Amity;
Whereas the relationship between the peoples of the United
States and the Republic of Korea stretches back to Korea's
Chosun Dynasty, when the United States and Korea established
diplomatic relations under the 1882 Treaty of Peace, Amity,
Commerce, and Navigation;
Whereas 2019 marks the 74th anniversary of the end of World
War II, a conflict in which the United States and Japan were
enemies, and the strength of the United States-Japan alliance
is a testament to the ability of great countries to overcome
the past and to work together to create a more secure and
prosperous future;
Whereas the United States-Korea alliance was forged in
blood, with United States military casualties during the
Korean War of approximately 36,574 killed and more than
103,284 wounded, and with Republic of Korea casualties of
more than 217,000 soldiers killed, more than 429,000 soldiers
wounded, and 1,000,000 civilians killed or missing;
Whereas, for the past 70 years, the partnership between the
United States and Japan has played a vital role, both in Asia
and globally, in ensuring peace, stability, and economic
development;
Whereas, approximately 54,000 United States military
personnel serve in Japan, along with some of the United
States most advanced defense assets, including the 7th Fleet
and the USS Ronald Reagan, the only United States aircraft
carrier to be homeported outside the United States;
Whereas, since the Mutual Defense Treaty Between the United
States and the Republic of Korea, signed in Washington on
October 1, 1953, and ratified by the Senate on January 26,
1954, United States military personnel have maintained a
continuous presence on the Korean Peninsula, and
approximately 28,500 United States troops are stationed in
the Republic of Korea in 2019;
Whereas the United States and the Republic of Korea have
stood alongside each other in the four major wars the United
States has fought outside Korea since World War II--in
Vietnam, the Persian Gulf, Afghanistan, and Iraq;
Whereas Japan is the fourth-largest United States trading
partner and together with the United States represents 30
percent of global Gross Domestic Product, and Japanese firms
have invested approximately $498,000,000,000 in the United
States;
Whereas, the economic relationship between the United
States and its sixth-largest trading partner, the Republic of
Korea, has been facilitated by the United States-Korea Free
Trade Agreement (KORUS), which entered into force on March
15, 2012, and was amended as of January 1, 2019, includes
358,000 jobs in the United States that are directly related
to exports to the Republic of Korea, and has resulted in
approximately $51,800,000,000 in investments by Korean firms
in the United States;
Whereas Japan and the Republic of Korea stand as strong
partners of the United States in efforts to ensure maritime
security and freedom of navigation, commerce, and overflight
and to uphold respect for the rule of law and to oppose the
use of coercion, intimidation, or force to change the
regional or global status quo, including in the maritime
domains of the Indo-Pacific, which are among the busiest
waterways in the world;
Whereas the United States, Japan, and the Republic of Korea
are committed to working together towards a world where the
Democratic People's Republic of Korea (in this preamble
referred to as the ``DPRK'') does not threaten global peace
and security with its weapons of mass destruction, missile
proliferation, and illicit activities, and where the DPRK
respects human rights and its people can live in freedom;
Whereas section 211 of the North Korea Sanctions and Policy
Enhancement Act of 2016 (22 U.S.C. 9231; Public Law 114-122)
expresses the sense of Congress that the President ``should
seek to strengthen high-level trilateral mechanisms for
discussion and coordination of policy toward North Korea
between the Government of the United States, the Government
of South Korea, and the Government of Japan'';
Whereas the Asia Reassurance Initiative Act of 2018 (Public
Law 115-409) underscores the importance of trilateral defense
cooperation and enforcement of multilateral sanctions against
North Korea and calls for regular consultation with Congress
on the status of such efforts;
Whereas the United States, Japan, and the Republic of Korea
have made great strides in promoting trilateral cooperation
and defense partnership, including ministerial meetings,
information sharing, and cooperation on ballistic missile
defense exercises to counter North Korean provocations;
Whereas Japanese Americans and Korean Americans have made
invaluable contributions to the security, prosperity, and
diversity of our Nation, including service as our elected
representatives in the Senate and in the House of
Representatives; and
Whereas the United States Government looks forward to
continuing to deepen our enduring partnerships with Japan and
the Republic of Korea on economic, security, and cultural
issues, as well as embracing new opportunities for bilateral
and trilateral partnerships and cooperation on emerging
regional and global challenges: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the Senate reaffirms the importance of--
(1) the vital role of the alliances between the United
States and Japan and the United States and the Republic of
Korea in promoting peace, stability, and security in the
Indo-Pacific region, including through United States extended
deterrence, and reaffirms the commitment of the United States
[[Page S2396]]
to defend Japan, including all areas under the administration
of Japan, under Article V of the Treaty of Mutual Cooperation
and Security Between the United States of America and Japan,
and to defend the Republic of Korea under Article III of the
Mutual Defense Treaty Between the United States and the
Republic of Korea;
(2) a constructive and forward-looking relationship between
Japan and the Republic of Korea for United States diplomatic,
economic, and security interests and for open and inclusive
architecture to support the development of a secure, stable,
and prosperous Indo-Pacific region;
(3) strengthening and broadening diplomatic, economic,
security, and people-to-people ties between and among the
United States, Japan, and the Republic of Korea;
(4) developing and implementing a strategy to deepen the
trilateral diplomatic and security cooperation between the
United States, Japan, and the Republic of Korea, including
through diplomatic engagement, regional development, energy
security, scientific and health partnerships, educational and
cultural exchanges, missile defense, intelligence-sharing,
space, cyber, and other diplomatic and defense-related
initiatives;
(5) trilateral cooperation with members of the United
Nations Security Council and other Member States to fully and
effectively enforce sanctions against the Democratic People's
Republic of Korea (in this resolution referred to as the
``DPRK'') and evaluate additional and meaningful new measures
toward the DPRK under Article 41 of the United Nations
Charter;
(6) trilateral cooperation to support and uphold a rules-
based trade and economic order in the Indo-Pacific region,
including the empowerment of women, which is vital for the
prosperity of all our nations;
(7) supporting the expansion of academic and cultural
exchanges among the three nations, especially efforts to
encourage Japanese and Korean students to study at
universities in the United States, and vice versa, to deepen
people-to-people ties; and
(8) continued cooperation among the governments of the
United States, Japan, and the Republic of Korea to promote
human rights.
Mr. BARRASSO. Mr. President, I know of no further debate.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. If there is no further debate, the question is
on agreeing to the resolution.
The resolution (S. Res. 67) was agreed to.
Mr. BARRASSO. Mr. President, I further ask that the committee-
reported amendment to the preamble be agreed to, the preamble, as
amended, be agreed to, and the motions to reconsider be considered made
and laid upon the table with no intervening action or debate.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
The committee-reported amendment to the preamble was agreed to.
The preamble, as amended, was agreed to.
The resolution with its preamble, as amended, reads as follows:
S. Res. 67
Whereas the governments and the people of the United
States, Japan, and the Republic of Korea share comprehensive
and dynamic partnerships and personal friendships rooted in
shared interests and the common values of freedom, democracy,
and free market economies;
Whereas the United States, Japan, and the Republic of Korea
are all free societies committed to the principles of
inclusive democracy, respect for human potential, and the
belief that the peaceful spread of these principles will
result in a safer and brighter future for all of mankind;
Whereas the United States, Japan, and the Republic of Korea
are indispensable partners in tackling global challenges and
have pledged significant support for efforts to counter
violent extremism, combat the proliferation of weapons of
mass destruction, prevent piracy, improve global health and
energy security, promote human rights, address climate
change, contribute to economic development around the world,
and assist the victims of conflict and disaster worldwide;
Whereas the governments and the people of the United
States, Japan, and the Republic of Korea all share a
commitment to free and open markets, high standards for the
free flow of commerce and trade, and the establishment of an
inclusive, transparent, and sustainable architecture for
regional and global trade and development;
Whereas the United States-Japan and the United States-
Republic of Korea alliances are the foundation of regional
stability in Asia, including against the threat posed by the
regime in Pyongyang;
Whereas cooperation between and among our nations spans
economic, energy, diplomatic, security, and cultural spheres;
Whereas the United States and Japan established diplomatic
relations on March 31, 1854, with the signing of the Treaty
of Peace and Amity;
Whereas the relationship between the peoples of the United
States and the Republic of Korea stretches back to Korea's
Chosun Dynasty, when the United States and Korea established
diplomatic relations under the 1882 Treaty of Peace, Amity,
Commerce, and Navigation;
Whereas 2019 marks the 74th anniversary of the end of World
War II, a conflict in which the United States and Japan were
enemies, and the strength of the United States-Japan alliance
is a testament to the ability of great countries to overcome
the past and to work together to create a more secure and
prosperous future;
Whereas the United States-Korea alliance was forged in
blood, with United States military casualties during the
Korean War of approximately 36,574 killed and more than
103,284 wounded, and with Republic of Korea casualties of
more than 217,000 soldiers killed, more than 429,000 soldiers
wounded, and 1,000,000 civilians killed or missing;
Whereas, for the past 70 years, the partnership between the
United States and Japan has played a vital role, both in Asia
and globally, in ensuring peace, stability, and economic
development;
Whereas, approximately 54,000 United States military
personnel serve in Japan, along with some of the United
States most advanced defense assets, including the 7th Fleet
and the USS Ronald Reagan, the only United States aircraft
carrier to be homeported outside the United States;
Whereas, since the Mutual Defense Treaty Between the United
States and the Republic of Korea, signed in Washington on
October 1, 1953, and ratified by the Senate on January 26,
1954, United States military personnel have maintained a
continuous presence on the Korean Peninsula, and
approximately 28,500 United States troops are stationed in
the Republic of Korea in 2019;
Whereas the United States and the Republic of Korea have
stood alongside each other in the four major wars the United
States has fought outside Korea since World War II--in
Vietnam, the Persian Gulf, Afghanistan, and Iraq;
Whereas Japan is the fourth-largest United States trading
partner and together with the United States represents 30
percent of global Gross Domestic Product, and Japanese firms
have invested approximately $498,000,000,000 in the United
States;
Whereas, the economic relationship between the United
States and its sixth-largest trading partner, the Republic of
Korea, has been facilitated by the United States-Korea Free
Trade Agreement (KORUS), which entered into force on March
15, 2012, and was amended as of January 1, 2019, includes
358,000 jobs in the United States that are directly related
to exports to the Republic of Korea, and has resulted in
approximately $51,800,000,000 in investments by Korean firms
in the United States;
Whereas Japan and the Republic of Korea stand as strong
partners of the United States in efforts to ensure maritime
security and freedom of navigation, commerce, and overflight
and to uphold respect for the rule of law and to oppose the
use of coercion, intimidation, or force to change the
regional or global status quo, including in the maritime
domains of the Indo-Pacific, which are among the busiest
waterways in the world;
Whereas the United States, Japan, and the Republic of Korea
are committed to working together towards a world where the
Democratic People's Republic of Korea (in this preamble
referred to as the ``DPRK'') does not threaten global peace
and security with its weapons of mass destruction, missile
proliferation, and illicit activities, and where the DPRK
respects human rights and its people can live in freedom;
Whereas section 211 of the North Korea Sanctions and Policy
Enhancement Act of 2016 (22 U.S.C. 9231; Public Law 114-122)
expresses the sense of Congress that the President ``should
seek to strengthen high-level trilateral mechanisms for
discussion and coordination of policy toward North Korea
between the Government of the United States, the Government
of South Korea, and the Government of Japan'';
Whereas the Asia Reassurance Initiative Act of 2018 (Public
Law 115-409) underscores the importance of trilateral defense
cooperation and enforcement of multilateral sanctions against
North Korea and calls for regular consultation with Congress
on the status of such efforts;
Whereas the United States, Japan, and the Republic of Korea
have made great strides in promoting trilateral cooperation
and defense partnership, including ministerial meetings,
information sharing, and cooperation on ballistic missile
defense exercises to counter North Korean provocations;
Whereas Japanese Americans and Korean Americans have made
invaluable contributions to the security, prosperity, and
diversity of our Nation, including service as our elected
representatives in the Senate and in the House of
Representatives; and
Whereas the United States Government looks forward to
continuing to deepen our enduring partnerships with Japan and
the Republic of Korea on economic, security, and cultural
issues, as well as embracing new opportunities for bilateral
and trilateral partnerships and cooperation on emerging
regional and global challenges: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the Senate reaffirms the importance of--
(1) the vital role of the alliances between the United
States and Japan and the United States and the Republic of
Korea in promoting peace, stability, and security in the
Indo-Pacific region, including through United States extended
deterrence, and reaffirms the commitment of the United States
[[Page S2397]]
to defend Japan, including all areas under the administration
of Japan, under Article V of the Treaty of Mutual Cooperation
and Security Between the United States of America and Japan,
and to defend the Republic of Korea under Article III of the
Mutual Defense Treaty Between the United States and the
Republic of Korea;
(2) a constructive and forward-looking relationship between
Japan and the Republic of Korea for United States diplomatic,
economic, and security interests and for open and inclusive
architecture to support the development of a secure, stable,
and prosperous Indo-Pacific region;
(3) strengthening and broadening diplomatic, economic,
security, and people-to-people ties between and among the
United States, Japan, and the Republic of Korea;
(4) developing and implementing a strategy to deepen the
trilateral diplomatic and security cooperation between the
United States, Japan, and the Republic of Korea, including
through diplomatic engagement, regional development, energy
security, scientific and health partnerships, educational and
cultural exchanges, missile defense, intelligence-sharing,
space, cyber, and other diplomatic and defense-related
initiatives;
(5) trilateral cooperation with members of the United
Nations Security Council and other Member States to fully and
effectively enforce sanctions against the Democratic People's
Republic of Korea (in this resolution referred to as the
``DPRK'') and evaluate additional and meaningful new measures
toward the DPRK under Article 41 of the United Nations
Charter;
(6) trilateral cooperation to support and uphold a rules-
based trade and economic order in the Indo-Pacific region,
including the empowerment of women, which is vital for the
prosperity of all our nations;
(7) supporting the expansion of academic and cultural
exchanges among the three nations, especially efforts to
encourage Japanese and Korean students to study at
universities in the United States, and vice versa, to deepen
people-to-people ties; and
(8) continued cooperation among the governments of the
United States, Japan, and the Republic of Korea to promote
human rights.
____________________