[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 45 (Monday, March 9, 2020)]
[House]
[Pages H1545-H1546]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




        ENCOURAGING REUNIONS OF DIVIDED KOREAN-AMERICAN FAMILIES

  Mr. SIRES. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the 
resolution (H. Res. 410) encouraging reunions of divided Korean-
American families, as amended.
  The Clerk read the title of the resolution.
  The text of the resolution is as follows:

                              H. Res. 410

       Whereas the Korean Peninsula, with the Republic of Korea 
     (in this resolution referred to as ``South Korea'') in the 
     South and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (in this 
     resolution referred to as ``North Korea'') in the North, 
     remains divided following the signing of the Korean War 
     Armistice Agreement on July 27, 1953;
       Whereas the division of the Korean Peninsula separated more 
     than 10,000,000 Korean family members, including some who are 
     now citizens of the United States;
       Whereas there have been 21 rounds of family reunions 
     between South Koreans and North Koreans along the border 
     since 2000;
       Whereas Congress signaled its support for family reunions 
     between United States citizens and their relatives in North 
     Korea in section 1265 of the National Defense Authorization 
     Act for Fiscal Year 2008 (Public Law 110-181), signed into 
     law by President George W. Bush on January 28, 2008;
       Whereas most of the population of divided family members in 
     the United States, initially estimated at 100,000 in 2001, 
     has significantly dwindled as many of the individuals have 
     passed away;
       Whereas the summit between North Korea and South Korea on 
     April 27, 2018, has prioritized family reunions;
       Whereas the United States and North Korea have engaged in 
     talks during 2 historic summits in June 2018 in Singapore and 
     February 2019 in Hanoi; and
       Whereas many Korean Americans are waiting for a chance to 
     meet their relatives in North Korea for the first time in 
     more than 60 years: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
       (1) calls on the United States and North Korea to begin the 
     process of reuniting Korean-American divided family members 
     with their immediate relatives through ways such as--
       (A) identifying divided families in the United States and 
     North Korea who are willing and able to participate in a 
     pilot program for family reunions;
       (B) finding matches for members of such families through 
     organizations such as the Red Cross; and
       (C) working with the Government of South Korea to include 
     American citizens in inter-Korean video reunions;
       (2) reconfirms the institution of family as inalienable 
     and, accordingly, urges the restoration of contact between 
     divided families physically, literarily, or virtually; and
       (3) calls on the United States and North Korea to pursue 
     reunions as a humanitarian priority of immediate concern.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from New 
Jersey (Mr. Sires) and the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Yoho) each will 
control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from New Jersey.


                             General Leave

  Mr. SIRES. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 
5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and 
include extraneous material on H. Res. 410.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from New Jersey?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. SIRES. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I want to thank Representative Bass for sponsoring this 
resolution, which draws attention to a pressing humanitarian issue 
affecting the Korean-American community.
  This June will mark 70 years since the beginning of the Korean war, 
which separated 10 million Koreans from their immediate family members. 
Since 1985, family reunions carried out between the North and the South 
briefly reunited more than 20,000 family members, but there are still 
thousands more who have brothers, sisters, or parents who have been 
separated for decades.
  It must be a humanitarian priority for the United States to 
facilitate reunions for these separated families. Considering the many 
years that have passed, many of these families are older, and if we 
don't act soon, they may never see their loved ones again.
  The measure before us underscores the long history of U.S. support 
for family reunification between Korean Americans and their relatives 
still in North Korea. It outlines different ways that North Korea and 
the United States can respectively take action, including a pilot 
program for family reunions, a family registry supported by the Red 
Cross and other organizations, and the use of technology to allow 
reunions for those who might not be physically able to travel for in-
person reunions.
  This is a good, commonsense resolution reiterating our country's 
commitment to reuniting families split by the Korean war. I support it, 
and I urge my colleagues to do the same.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. YOHO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of Representative 
Bass' resolution, and I want to congratulate her for doing this.
  This resolution reaffirms the House's commitment to support our 
Korean-American families seeking to reunite with relatives who are 
trapped in North Korea. This resolution rightly observes that family 
reunification is a humanitarian priority.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this measure, and I 
reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. SIRES. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentlewoman from 
California (Ms. Bass), the author of this important resolution and the 
chairwoman of the Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Africa, Global 
Health, Global Human Rights, and International Organizations.
  Ms. BASS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to strongly support H. Res. 410. 
The purpose of this resolution is to encourage reunions of divided 
Korean-American families.
  Last year, I had the opportunity to meet Kyung Joo Lee, a 90-year-old 
Korean-American man from Virginia. Mr. Lee has not seen his three older 
brothers and sisters since he fled North Korea more than 70 years ago, 
but he prays for them daily. He has no idea if they are even still 
alive. Tears streamed down his face during that meeting as he held my 
hands and urged me to do what I can to help Korean families to be 
reunited.
  This resolution originated at a townhall meeting where a group of 
constituents called this issue to my attention. As I learned more about 
these aging Korean Americans who just want to be able to see their 
siblings and parents, I knew that we had to do all that we could do to 
raise this issue.
  The division of the Korean Peninsula into South Korea and North Korea 
separated thousands of Koreans from family members. Many Korean 
Americans have not seen or communicated with family members in more 
than 60 years. Their children have grown up here in America without 
knowing what their cousins, aunts, or uncles even look like.
  Over the years, South Korea and North Korea have arranged for 
selected groups to visit each other, but these reunions have been 
dependent on the political situation between the countries. Since 2000, 
there have been at least 20 rounds of family reunions, but none have 
included Korean Americans.
  Meanwhile, the situation is now growing more urgent as many who have 
been separated are getting older. Most are in their late eighties or 
nineties. That is why I introduced this resolution that calls on the 
United States and North Korea to begin the process of reuniting Korean-
American divided family members with their immediate relatives.
  Today, I am proud to stand with my colleagues in getting one step 
closer to reunifying Mr. Lee and so many others with their families.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge Members to support this resolution that calls on 
the

[[Page H1546]]

United States and North Korea to pursue reunions as a humanitarian 
priority of immediate concern. I also urge them to support H.R. 1771, 
the Divided Families Reunification Act, introduced by my colleague 
Representative Grace Meng, that takes up the same issue.
  Mr. YOHO. Mr. Speaker, in closing, I urge my colleagues to support 
Representative Bass' resolution to stand with Korean Americans seeking 
to reunite with family members stranded inside North Korea.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. SIRES. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume for 
the purpose of closing.
  Mr. Speaker, most of us can't imagine the pain of going decades 
without knowing if your relatives are alive or dead. That is the daily 
struggle for thousands of families torn apart by the Korean war.
  Mr. Speaker, this measure underscores our support for reuniting these 
families, bringing solace and closure to this deep wound left by the 
war. I hope my colleagues will join me in supporting this resolution, 
and I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Sires) that the House suspend the rules 
and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 410, as amended.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds 
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.


 =========================== NOTE =========================== 

  
  March 9, 2020, on page H1546, the following appeared: The 
question was taken; and the Speaker pro tempore announced that the 
ayes appeared to have it.
  
  The online version has been corrected to read: The question was 
taken. The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-
thirds being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.


 ========================= END NOTE ========================= 


  Mr. SIRES. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
  The yeas and nays were ordered.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further 
proceedings on this question will be postponed.

                          ____________________