[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 126 (Monday, July 19, 2021)]
[House]
[Pages H3652-H3654]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
ENCOURAGING REUNIONS OF DIVIDED KOREAN-AMERICAN FAMILIES
Ms. HOULAHAN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to
the resolution (H. Res. 294) encouraging reunions of divided Korean-
American families.
The Clerk read the title of the resolution.
The text of the resolution is as follows:
H. Res. 294
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;
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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) reaffirms 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 gentlewoman from
Pennsylvania (Ms. Houlahan) and the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr.
Smith) each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from Pennsylvania.
General Leave
Ms. HOULAHAN. 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. 294.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentlewoman from Pennsylvania?
There was no objection.
Ms. HOULAHAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of House Resolution 294, a resolution
encouraging reunions of divided Korean-American families, introduced by
the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Bass).
The Korean war claimed millions of lives and left the Korean
peninsula and its people absolutely devastated. Though an armistice
ended hostilities between North and South Korea nearly 70 years ago,
many of the wounds inflicted by the war have never fully healed, in
part because more than 10 million Koreans were separated from their
family members during that conflict.
Today, there are still thousands of Korean Americans who live waiting
and hoping for the chance to see their relatives living in North Korea.
Mr. Speaker, the pain of being separated from your family does not
dull with time. This resolution would give peace of mind to many by
identifying families in the United States and in North Korea who are
willing and able to participate in family reunification.
This resolution would also allow for organizations like the Red Cross
to assist in reuniting families and working with our allies in South
Korea to reunite families through video reunions.
We must act now because the number of surviving relatives is
declining, and time is running out to right the wrong these families
have suffered. There is an urgent humanitarian need to reunite Korean
Americans with their war-torn loved ones and to provide much-needed
healing, closure, and restoration of bonds broken seven decades ago.
By passing this humane, bipartisan resolution, this body will provide
Korean Americans the precious opportunity they have been denied for too
long. I thank Representative Bass for authoring this important
humanitarian legislation, and I urge my colleagues to join me in
supporting it.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I
may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H. Res. 294, which reaffirms
the House's commitment to support our Korean-American families seeking
to reunite with relatives who are trapped in North Korea.
The resolution, authored by my good friend and colleague, the
gentlewoman from California (Ms. Bass), rightly observes that family
reunification is a humanitarian priority.
As she points out, it calls on the United States and North Korea to
begin the process of reuniting North Korean and Korean-American divided
family members with their immediate relatives through ways such as--and
I quote from the resolution:
``Identifying divided families in the United States and North Korea
who are willing and able to participate in a pilot program for family
reunions;
``Finding matches for members of such families through organizations
such as the Red Cross; and
``Working with the Government of South Korea to include American
citizens in inter-Korean video reunions;
``Reaffirms the institution of the family as inalienable and,
accordingly, urges the restoration of contact between divided families
physically, literarily, or virtually.''
Mr. Speaker, it is a very, very good resolution. I thank my good
friend and colleague for authoring it. I reserve the balance of my
time.
Ms. HOULAHAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from
California (Ms. Bass), my great friend, who is a champion of these
issues.
Ms. BASS. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank Chairman Meeks, Ranking Member
McCaul, and Ranking Member Smith for bringing this important
legislation encouraging reunions of divided Korean-American families to
the House floor today.
H. Res. 294 is a bipartisan 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 by
identifying the families in the U.S. and North Korea who are willing
and able to participate, finding matches for members of such families
through organizations such as the Red Cross, and working with the
Government of South Korea to include American citizens in inter-Korean
video reunions.
Both Representative Kim and I have heard or know the awful stories of
constituents who were divided from family members for nearly 70 years.
A couple of years ago I had a constituent in my office who was quite
elderly, and he was very concerned that he actually was not going to
live to see his siblings that he has not been able to see for many
decades.
This resolution also urges the restoration of contact between the
divided families physically, literarily, or virtually, and calls on the
U.S. and North Korea to pursue reunions as a humanitarian priority of
immediate concern.
When the Korean War Armistice Agreement was signed in 1953, it was
meant to be a temporary measure. There has been relative peace between
North and South Korea, but tensions remain volatile, and the border
separating them is heavily militarized. More than 10 million families,
including those who are now U.S. citizens, have been divided, and we
must do everything we can to prevent this from continuing.
Representative Kim and I agree that Korean Americans should not have
to wait another day, let alone another 70 years to meet their family
members who live in North Korea. The bipartisan support shows that this
resolution wants to support the administration and find a sustainable
solution to this important issue.
I want to thank Representative Kim and many of my other colleagues on
both sides of the aisle for cosponsoring H. Res. 294.
Ms. HOULAHAN. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I
reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my
time.
Ms. HOULAHAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume
for the purpose of closing.
Mr. Speaker, for nearly 70 years, Korean Americans and their
relatives have hoped and prayed to one day be together again. We cannot
allow any
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further delay in reuniting these families with their loved ones. This
resolution is commonsense, bipartisan legislation that is long overdue,
and it will make an invaluable impact on the lives of thousands of
Korean Americans and their families.
I thank Representative Karen Bass for working so diligently on this
essential humanitarian resolution. I ask all of my colleagues to give
it their support.
Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentlewoman from Pennsylvania (Ms. Houlahan) that the House suspend the
rules and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 294.
The question was taken.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
Mrs. MILLER of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and
nays.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to section 3(s) of House Resolution
8, the yeas and nays are ordered.
Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further proceedings on this motion
are postponed.
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