[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 117 (Thursday, June 25, 2020)]
[Senate]
[Page S3506]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

  SA 2047. Mr. MARKEY submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by 
him to the bill S. 4049, to authorize appropriations for fiscal year 
2021 for military activities of the Department of Defense, for military 
construction, and for defense activities of the Department of Energy, 
to prescribe military personnel strengths for such fiscal year, and for 
other purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

       At the end of subtitle E of title XII, add the following:

     SEC. 12__. SENSE OF SENATE ON THE REPUBLIC OF KOREA.

       It is the sense of the Senate that--
       (1) with respect to the alliance between the United States 
     and the Republic of Korea--
       (A) ``we go together'' or ``katchi kapshida'' is an 
     enduring motto inspired by the shared sacrifice of the United 
     States and the Republic of Korea during the Korean War, 
     reinforced by our shared values and reaffirmed each time the 
     Republic of Korea has stood alongside the United States in 
     the four major wars the United States has fought outside 
     Korea since 1945;
       (B) a transactional view of the alliance between the United 
     States and the Republic of Korea is contrary to the spirit of 
     ``we go together'';
       (C) 70 years since the start of the Korean War, as the 
     People's Republic of China escalates its aggressive behavior 
     in maritime and air domains and the Democratic People's 
     Republic of Korea continues to enhance and test weapons that 
     threaten regional peace and security, a new strategic 
     environment in the Indo-Pacific region has reinforced the 
     importance of the alliance between the United States and the 
     Republic of Korea;
       (D) the 2018 National Defense Strategy states that ``the 
     willingness of rivals to abandon aggression will depend on 
     their perception of. . .the vitality of our alliances and 
     partnerships'', and thus United States Government actions and 
     public statements that undermine the United States 
     relationship with the Republic of Korea harm United States 
     national security and exacerbate risks to members of the 
     Armed Forces and United States allies and partners; and
       (E) United States alliances and troop deployments should be 
     based on shared principles and goals, not on the profit 
     motive; and
       (2) with respect to nationals of the Republic of Korea who 
     are employees of United States Forces Korea--
       (A) the United States Government should endeavor to avoid 
     actions that negatively affect the welfare or well-being of 
     such individuals;
       (B) as stated by the Commander of United States Forces 
     Korea on March 31, 2020, the partial furlough of such 
     individuals was ``heartbreaking'' and ``in no way a 
     reflection of their performance, dedication, or conduct''; 
     and
       (C) the United States Government should work with the 
     Government of the Republic of Korea to ensure that such 
     individuals do not bear the burden of breakdowns in 
     negotiations regarding defense cost-sharing.
                                 ______