For what purpose does the gentleman from california seek recognition . Mr. Royce i move the house suspend the rules and pass h. R. 2061 as amended. The speaker pro tempore the clerk will report the title of the bill. H. R. 2061, a bill authorize authorize a bill to reauthorize the north korean human rights act of 2004 and for other purposes. The speaker pro tempore pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from california, mr. Royce, and the gentleman from new york, mr. Engel, will each control 20 minutes. The chair now recognizes the gentleman from california, the chair of the committee, mr. Royce. Mr. Royce i ask unanimous consent that all members may have five legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and to include any extraneous material into the record. The speaker pro tempore without objection. Mr. Royce i thank you. I yield myself such time as i may consume. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman is recognized for such time as he may consume. Mr. Royce mr. Speaker, thanks. And let me point out that the world is rightly focused on the threat that north korea poses to global security. The detonations, the missile launches, the forwarddeploit artillery that we have seen across from the border in south korea and ive been once into north korea. I know my colleague here, eliot engel, has been twice to the capital there, but going along the eastern coast, the eastern seaboard into north korea, you can see the threat. You can see the artillery, the tanks, the rockets, the how itzers lined up and you can see where theyre aimed. Maybe ink we have to point out that the provocations underscore a simple jarring back and that is that kim jong un wants to pose a mortal threat, and not just to the United States, but to our democratic treaty allies, to south korea and to japan. But i think as we face that reality, we cannot afford to forget that the regimes greatest victim are the people of north korea themselves. Thats the longest held hostage here, and remembering that this is not just a moral imperative but also its a strategic one, too, because if kim jong un had to answer to the north Korean People, he would pose far less a danger to us, to south korea, to japan. Maybe would pose no danger whatsoever if he really had to answer to his own people, and the truth is that kim jong uns his own t enemy is citizens if they were to be empowered. The regime should be forced to confront the dismal reality as it has inflicted on its own population of obsessed, not just with selfpreservation, but also with his concept of reunification of the peninsula based on the words he uses under his own leadership. He and his father and his fathers father have been willing to inflict starvation nd stunting i asked the former minister of propaganda, myself and one of my colleagues here had asked him and said that two Million People had starved, had been starved by the regime. He said the real number was 1. 9 million. 1. 9 Million People and he said you have to understand, we put all the resources into the weapons program, into the icbm program, into the nuclear capability. People fend for themselves basically. Thats the system there. And when he defected the prop defected, the propaganda minister shared that with us. In the meantime, youll notice that theres one man in that system that feasts on imported luxuries and liquor thats and the deity himself, thats kim jong un. The bonds of public affection for kim certainly are strong in the capital, but in the countryside, those who have defected, tell me they are so fragile, that they can only be maintained with public executions, purges, with deadly prison camps. Its no wonder then that the regimes harshest critics are escaped North Koreans who have seen through the wall of misinformation that kim jong un works so hard to maintain. We have heard time and again from north Korean Refugees about the indelible impact of real information from the outside world whether it be defected broadcasts or pirated south korean tv dramas set in the affluent bustling metropolis of seoul. Just last month i was discussing these issues in seoul with the highest ranking north korean defector. Hes the former the minister is the former ambassador to the u. K. Many of you read about his defection there. In britain. Hes now in seoul. He emphasized that such knowledge undermines the lie that north korea is a workers paradise and that it is the envy of the world. Increasingly, he says, for 30some, a village or a family can purchase a device that plays these dramas from south korea that come in from the border with china and as a result of that, as a result of that they learn more. Frankly, i will say, as a result of the two different organizations of defectors from north korea who broadcast on short wave, people are learning more as well. Our problem is that it needs to be broadcast beyond just the area around the border. We need to figure out how to help others hear the truth. So today harnessing the power of information and public expectations inside north korea is more important than ever. Along with enhanced sanctions on the regimes enablers, this is critical. Its a critical nonmilitary tool because it confronts the growing north korean threat to our safety with a very different methodology by educating and empowering North Koreans themselves. This bill, h. R. 2061, does not merely reauthorize activities under the north korean human rights act. It enacts important updates of freedom of information to reflect technological advances beyond radio broadcasting, including u. S. B drives, mobile devices and other very promising tools and it also renews the obligations of the special envoy for north korean human rights. Finally, the bill enhances congressional oversight tools to help ensure that our investments stand the best chance of paying dividends and freedom for north korea. The greater security for the rest of the world will be the result of this. I want to thank the chairman emeritus of the Foreign Affairs committee, ileana roslehtinen, for authoring this bill. I also want to thank our Ranking Member, eliot engel, issue, and on this the chair and the subcommittee Ranking Member. The gentlelady from florida is tireless in her defense of human rights and has been a legislative leader on north korea for more than a decade. Im a proud cosponsor of this excellent bill which deserves our unanimous support, and i reserve the balance of my time. The speaker pro tempore the chairman of the Foreign Affairs committee reserves the balance of his time. For what reason does the gentleman from new york seek recognition . Mr. Engel mr. Speaker, i rise in support of this measure, and i yield myself such time as i may consume. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman is recognized for such time as he may consume. Mr. Engel thank you, mr. Speaker. First, let me thank our chairman who always conducts himself in such a bipartisan fashion. I want to thank him for including everyone and thank him for the work that he does. I also want to thank the bills author, our former chair of the Foreign Affairs committee, ms. Roslehtinen of florida. I am pleased to join her as the lead democratic cosponsor of this legislation. She authored an earlier version of this bill which is a testament to how long shes been working to shine a light on the daily horror of so many living in north korea and to bring American Leadership to bear to each their suffering. Weve been focused on north korea a great deal lately because of the kim regimes increasingly provocative behavior and our own administrations inconsistent and irresponsible rhetoric. North korea poses a grave threat to our National Security and the security of our friends and allies. We need a smart, coherent approach that combines diplomacy, pressure and deterrence to halt north koreas progress in developing nuclear weapons. At the same time we cannot lose sight over what the north Korean People are enduring. This is a country where people dont have rights, and anyone who dares speak his or her mind may find themselves subjected to beatings, torture, brutal imprisonment or even death. The United States commission of inquiry found that kim jong uns regime is very likely committing crimes against humanity. Mr. Speaker, i visited north korea twice, and when i was there with a few of our colleagues on both sides of the aisle, our north korean mind is very careful to make sure we only saw what we saw what we were supposed to see but we could sense beneath the surface something was terribly, terribly wrong. First of all, they wouldnt let us go out of pyongyang. Just out of sight it was amazing there were so many People Living under the most brutal conditions imaginable and that no one dared shatter the illusion that the north Korean Authority had just created. When you go to north korea, it feels like youre stepping back into 1953 berlin. Everything was gray and dark and drab and you could just see something was wrong. We know better. Weve seen stories from defectors, we havent forgotten them. The law that were reauthorizing today first became law in 2004. This legislation will preserve funding for american assistance to north Korean Refugees, humanitarian assistance inside the country as well as information earths effort business our government. And to try every means possible to get the message out to regular north Korean People that we are not their enemy. I will say that i am greatly concerned that the latest iteration of the president s travel ban, which now includes north korea, sends exactly the wrong message to defectors from that country. By closing our door to them, rereinforce the paranoia that the regime perpetrates. We have to be careful not to get caught in the middle of that. An earlier version of the law created a Senior State Department position to focus on human rights in north korea. Its a big job, mr. Speaker, and in recent years theres been someone to do this important work fulltime. But its been reported that the administration plans to combine this position with the undersecretary for democracy. I think that would be a mistake. The undersecretary position already oversees the bureaus and offices that deal with a huge range of issues from counterterrorism to refugees to narcotics, to human traffic. Its a pretty full agenda. Yet the administration on the one hand says north korean human rights should be combined with that job and on the other hand has not yet nominated anyone to fill the position. I think theres a lot of work to be done on both sides. Thats what were doing on the Foreign Affairs committee. Were working together. This reauthorization reaffirms Congress View that we should have a senior fulltime diplomat dealing with north korean human rights. I ask that this provision be included once again and im grateful to chairman royce and chairman emeritus ross let than congress will continue to speak out roslehtinen that congress will continue to speak out on the importance of this row. Its aye also my view that we need to stop role. Its also my view that we need to stop neglecting diplomacy and get these positions filled. We cant deal with the state expect the state department to deal with these programs problems. Without leadership in place. Im glad that congress is continuing to do its job in helping to promote human rights for the North Koreans. Im again grateful to my friend from florida and the chairman and i reserve the balance of my time. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman reserves the balance of his time. For what purpose does the gentleman from california seek recognition in . Mr. Royce i yield three minutes to the gentleman from florida, mr. Yoho. Hes chairman of the Foreign Affairs subcommittee on asia and the pacific and among a number of amendments that he has contributed to this bill, theres one in particular that i thinks very important and that is increasing the number of tools that can be used here to include new technologies to north korea, like u. S. Bdrives. A lot easier for people to watch on u. S. B. Drives. As well of course, mobile phones and d. V. D. s. Thank you. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman from california florida is recognized for three minutes. Mr. Yoho i thank you, mr. Speaker. Mr. Chairman, i thank you. I rise in support of h. R. 2061, the north korean human rights reauthorization act of 2017. I commend the chairman, chairman emeritus, roslehtinen, for leading this reauthorization effort and chairman royce and my colleagues on the Foreign Affairs committee for their support of this legislation. The horrific human rights abuses committed by kim jong un are an integral part of his power structure. Countering these unspeakable crimes, however, however we can, is both a moral imperative and a sound strategy. As amended, h. R. 2061 includes my distribution and promotion of rights and knowledge act, which will improve u. S. Efforts to broadcast outside information into north korea. Weakening kim jong uns regime by eroding his strangle hold on information stranglehold on information. It will provide light to the North Koreans, not just light to read by, but shine light on those innate basic beliefs of liberty and freedom. Specifically this language updates the means in which information can be disseminated, helping to find new ways to end the kim regimes monopoly on information. The two bills are Natural Partners and together they can meaningfully advance human rights and flow of information in north korea and i thank the chairman and thank you, sir. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman reserves the balance of his time. Does the gentleman from new york seek recognition . The gentleman from new york reserves. Does the gentleman from california seek recognition . Mr. Royce ill i have no further speakers. Ill reserve the balance of my time. The chair the gentleman is prepared to close. Is the gentleman from new york prepared to close . Mr. Engel yes. Ill close now. Ill close briefly. I want to say thank you, mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the kim regime poses a grave threat to global security. And its critical that the United States moves ahead with a coherent strategy to help meet this challenge. At the same time the kim regimes treatment of its own people represents one of the worst human rights situations in the entire world. We cannot lose sight of that human suffering thats going on every day. For years the United States has made it a priority to do what we can to help those living under this brutal dictatorship. And to assist those who have escaped it. This legislation will ensure the United States continues this important work in the years ahead. I want to just say that chairman oyce has made it a mark of his to travel the region, to speak with south korea, to speak with the leaders in asia. And im pleased that were well represented when he goes there and lets the regimes know that lets the regimes know that we in the congress have a lot of things to say and that we want let nd by our allies and north korea understand that they can not push anybody around. So i want to thank the chairman for having visited korea with him and for all the things he does in asia. I think the committee is united in supporting this legislation. We have to speak out. We have to protect the north Korean People who have no protection from a brutal dictator and a regime that treats them like theyre worthless and i urge members to support this bill. And yield back the balance of my time. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman yields back the balance of his time. The chair recognizes the chairman of the Foreign Affairs committee. Mr. Royce thank you, mr. Speaker. I want to thank our Ranking Member, mr. Eliot engel. Also for his work on the original bill. For a number of years, we have been focused in a bipartisan way. Those of us who are concerned about human rights in north korea. And this original measure, and this is the reauthorization, but the original measure to promote human rights and free information inside north korea, and to focus on the protection of North Koreans who fled the country and face a hinetted risk of exploitation and Human Trafficking, weve been able to work on enforcement, but now with reauthorization theres a chance to update it. And those updates in this h. R. 2061, not only reauthorize the north korean human rights act, but theres these promising new technological advances to pierce the information darkness, as mr. Ted yoho mentioned. That darnings is maintained intention darkness is maintained intentionally by kim jong uns regime and confronted by a rapidly nuclearizing north korea, these tools are more important than ever. Rather than putting all of his energy into menacing the world, as he does with his nuclear program, kim jong un must be confronted with the urgent needs, with the legitimate aspirations of the people of north korea. There are 120 thouff his people that are 120,000 of his people that are in what we call these gulags across north korea. And without reforms, these individuals are never going to seat light of day seat light of day. Theyre see the light of day. Theyre never going to be released to freedom. So this critical bipartisan bill deserves our unanimous support and yield back the balance of my time. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman yields back the balance of his time. The question is, will the house suspend the rules and pass the bill, h. R. 2061. Those in favor say aye. Those opposed, no. In the opinion of the chair, 2 3 mr. Royce mr. Speaker, on that i request the yeas and nays. The speaker pro tempore ill call the question first. In the opinion of the chair, 2 3 of those voting having responded in the affirmative, the gentleman from california. Mr. Royce on that i request the yeas and nays, mr. Speaker. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman request