This week, the U.S. House passed without opposition a proposal from two members of the Florida delegation that holds the North Korean regime more accountable.
Back in April, Florida Republicans U.S. Reps. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen and Ted Yoho teamed up with U.S. Rep. Eliot Engel, D-NY, the ranking Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, and U.S. Rep. Brad Sherman, D-Calif., to unveil the “North Korean Human Rights Reauthorization Act.” Two other members of the Florida delegation--Republican U.S. Rep. Carlos Curbelo and Democrat U.S. Rep. Stephanie Murphy--also co-sponsored the bill.
The proposal extends the North Korean Human Rights Act of 2004, which Ros-Lehtinen has championed during her long tenure in Congress, which “continues current authorities for North Korea-focused activities to promote human rights and democracy, refugee protection, and freedom of information (including broadcasting), as well as the U.S. Special Envoy on North Korean Human Rights Issues" and “continues reporting aimed at increasing transparency and accountability for any food aid provided to North Korea.”
Both of the representatives from Florida are top Republicans on Capitol Hill when it comes to foreign policy. Ros-Lehtinen currently chairs the House Middle East and North Africa Subcommittee and she is the first woman to have ever led the Foreign Affairs Committee. Yoho chairs the Asia and Pacific Subcommittee with Sherman as the ranking Democrat.
After the House passed her proposal on Monday night, Ros-Lehtinen explained why she had brought it out.
“Promoting North Korean human rights is essential to addressing the increasingly dangerous security threat from Pyongyang,” Ros-Lehtinen said. “This bill ensures the U.S. continues to have important tools at its disposal, including grants for increasing awareness about North Koreans’ inherent rights and freedoms, means of accessing outside information, humanitarian assistance, and reporting by the Special Envoy for North Korean Rights Issues at the State Department. The regime’s atrocious treatment of the North Korean people is part and parcel of its belligerence toward the outside world and we should be actively advocating for and assisting with North Korean human rights issues as we ramp up pressure on Kim Jong-un.”
Yoho’s “Distribution and Promotion of Rights and Knowledge Act” was included in Ros-Lehtinen’s proposal. When originally passed in 2004, the North Korea Human Rights Act authorized making radio broadcasts into North Korea. Noting the technological updates of the last 13 years, Yoho brought out a proposal to modernize the law back in May.
The North Central Florida Republican reeled in the support of some leading representatives including U.S. Rep. Ed Royce, R-Calif., who chairs the Foreign Affairs Committee. Royce made the case for Yoho’s bill when it was introduced.
“North Korea severely limits access to information,” Royce said. “In fact, receiving unauthorized broadcasts in North Korea can get you the death sentence. U.S.-backed broadcasts into the country let brave North Koreans learn the truth about their tyrannical leader and hear news from the outside world.”
Yoho took to the House floor on Monday in support of Ros-Lehtinen’s bill.
“I commend Chairman-emeritus Ros Lehtinen for leading this reauthorization effort, and Chairman Royce and my colleagues on the Foreign Affairs Committee for their support of this legislation,” Yoho said. “The horrific human rights abuses committed by Kim Jong Un are an integral part of his power structure. Countering these unspeakable crimes, however we can, is both a moral imperative and 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 Un’s regime by eroding his stranglehold on information,” Yoho added. “Specifically, this language updates the means in which information can be disseminated, helping to find new ways to end the Kim regime’s monopoly on information. The two bills are natural partners, and together they meaningfully advance human rights and the free flow of information in North Korea.”
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