The publication is reproduced in full below:
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;
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 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.
____________________
SOURCE: Congressional Record Vol. 167, No. 126
The Congressional Record is a unique source of public documentation. It started in 1873, documenting nearly all the major and minor policies being discussed and debated.
House Representatives' salaries are historically higher than the median US income.
Alerts Sign-up