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RECOGNIZING THAT FOR 50 YEARS THE ASSOCIATION OF

SOUTH EAST ASIAN NATIONS (ASEAN) HAS WORKED TOWARD STABILITY, PROSPERITY, AND PEACE IN SOUTHEAST

ASIA; TAIWAN TRAVEL ACT; NORTH KOREAN HUMAN RIGHTS

REAUTHORIZATION ACT OF 2017; AND DISTRIBUTION AND

PROMOTION OF RIGHTS AND KNOWLEDGE ACT OF 2017

MARKUP

BEFORE THE

SUBCOMMITTEE ON ASIA AND THE PACIFIC

OF THE

COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN AFFAIRS 

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

ONE HUNDRED FIFTEENTH CONGRESS

FIRST SESSION

ON

H. Res. 311, H.R. 535, H.R. 2061 and H.R. 2397

JUNE 15, 2017

Serial No. 115–42

Printed for the use of the Committee on Foreign Affairs

(

Available via the World Wide Web: http://www.foreignaffairs.house.gov/ or

http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/

(II)

COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN AFFAIRS 

EDWARD R. ROYCE, California, Chairman 

CHRISTOPHER H. SMITH, New Jersey 

ILEANA ROS-LEHTINEN, Florida 

DANA ROHRABACHER, California 

STEVE CHABOT, Ohio 

JOE WILSON, South Carolina 

MICHAEL T. MCCAUL, Texas 

TED POE, Texas 

DARRELL E. ISSA, California 

TOM MARINO, Pennsylvania 

JEFF DUNCAN, South Carolina 

MO BROOKS, Alabama 

PAUL COOK, California 

SCOTT PERRY, Pennsylvania 

RON DESANTIS, Florida 

MARK MEADOWS, North Carolina 

TED S. YOHO, Florida 

ADAM KINZINGER, Illinois 

LEE M. ZELDIN, New York 

DANIEL M. DONOVAN, JR., New York 

F. JAMES SENSENBRENNER, JR., 

Wisconsin 

ANN WAGNER, Missouri 

BRIAN J. MAST, Florida 

FRANCIS ROONEY, Florida 

BRIAN K. FITZPATRICK, Pennsylvania 

THOMAS A. GARRETT, JR., Virginia 

ELIOT L. ENGEL, New York 

BRAD SHERMAN, California 

GREGORY W. MEEKS, New York 

ALBIO SIRES, New Jersey 

GERALD E. CONNOLLY, Virginia 

THEODORE E. DEUTCH, Florida 

KAREN BASS, California 

WILLIAM R. KEATING, Massachusetts 

DAVID N. CICILLINE, Rhode Island 

AMI BERA, California 

LOIS FRANKEL, Florida 

TULSI GABBARD, Hawaii 

JOAQUIN CASTRO, Texas 

ROBIN L. KELLY, Illinois 

BRENDAN F. BOYLE, Pennsylvania 

DINA TITUS, Nevada 

NORMA J. TORRES, California 

BRADLEY SCOTT SCHNEIDER, Illinois 

THOMAS R. SUOZZI, New York 

ADRIANO ESPAILLAT, New York 

TED LIEU, California

AMY PORTER, Chief of Staff THOMAS SHEEHY, Staff Director

JASON STEINBAUM, Democratic Staff Director 

SUBCOMMITTEE ON ASIA AND THE PACIFIC

TED S. YOHO, Florida, Chairman 

DANA ROHRABACHER, California 

STEVE CHABOT, Ohio 

TOM MARINO, Pennsylvania 

MO BROOKS, Alabama 

SCOTT PERRY, Pennsylvania 

ADAM KINZINGER, Illinois 

ANN WAGNER, Missouri 

BRAD SHERMAN, California 

AMI BERA, California 

DINA TITUS, Nevada 

GERALD E. CONNOLLY, Virginia 

THEODORE E. DEUTCH, Florida 

TULSI GABBARD, Hawaii 

(III)

C O N T E N T S 

Page

MARKUP ON 

H. Res. 311, Recognizing that for 50 years the Association of South East 

Asian Nations (ASEAN) has worked toward stability, prosperity, and peace 

in Southeast Asia ................................................................................................. 2

Amendment in the nature of a substitute to H. Res. 311 offered by the 

Honorable Ted S. Yoho, a Representative in Congress from the State 

of Florida, and chairman, Subcommittee on Asia and the Pacific ............... 15

H.R. 535, To encourage visits between the United States and Taiwan at 

all levels, and for other purposes ........................................................................ 20

H.R. 2061, To reauthorize the North Korean Human Rights Act of 2004, 

and for other purposes ......................................................................................... 24

Amendment to H.R. 2061 offered by the Honorable Ted S. Yoho .................... 31

Amendment to H.R. 2061 offered by the Honorable Gerald E. Connolly, 

a Representative in Congress from the Commonwealth of Virginia ............ 32

H.R. 2397, To amend the North Korean Human Rights Act of 2004 to authorize further actions to promote freedom of information and democracy in 

North Korea, and for other purposes .................................................................. 34

APPENDIX 

Markup notice .......................................................................................................... 44

Markup minutes ...................................................................................................... 45

Markup summary .................................................................................................... 46

(1)

RECOGNIZING THAT FOR 50 YEARS THE ASSOCIATION OF 

SOUTH EAST ASIAN NATIONS (ASEAN) HAS WORKED TOWARD STABILITY, PROSPERITY, AND PEACE IN SOUTHEAST ASIA; TAIWAN TRAVEL ACT; NORTH KOREAN HUMAN 

RIGHTS REAUTHORIZATION ACT OF 2017; AND DISTRIBUTION AND PROMOTION OF RIGHTS AND KNOWLEDGE ACT 

OF 2017

THURSDAY, JUNE 15, 2017

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,

SUBCOMMITTEE ON ASIA AND THE PACIFIC,

COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN AFFAIRS,

Washington, DC. 

The subcommittee met, pursuant to notice, at 2:30 p.m., in room 

2200 Rayburn House Office Building, Hon. Ted Yoho (chairman of 

the subcommittee) presiding. 

Mr. YOHO. The subcommittee will come to order. 

Good afternoon. We have called this markup to order today to 

consider four important measures that touch on pressing challenges that the United States faces in the Asia-Pacific region. After 

the conclusion of this brief business meeting, we will proceed immediately to our scheduled hearing on U.S.-Taiwan ties. 

Pursuant to notice, we have four bipartisan measures on our 

agenda this afternoon. As members were notified yesterday, it is 

the intention of the Chair to consider today’s business en bloc so 

that we can proceed promptly to our hearing. All members may 

have 5 days to insert remarks into the record and, without objection, the following measures and amendments will be considered en 

bloc: House Resolution 311, reaffirming 40 years of relations between the United States and the Association of the Southeast 

Asian Nations; Yoho Amendment 37 in the Nature of a Substitute 

to H. Resolution 311; H.R. 535, the Taiwan Travel Act; H.R. 2061, 

the North Korean Human Rights Reauthorization Act of 2017; 

Yoho Amendment 38 to H.R. 2061; and H.R. 2397, the Distribution 

and Promotion of Rights and Knowledge of DPRK Act of 2017. 

Before turning to our ranking member, I recognize myself to 

speak on—and the Connolly Amendment—excuse me—Amendment 

26 to H.R. 2061. And thank you. 

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Mr. YOHO. First, we have House Resolution 311, which recognizes 40 years of the U.S.-ASEAN ties and reaffirms the economic 

security interests we share with this dynamic group of countries. 

I want to thank Representatives Wagner and Castro, who chair 

the recently revived ASEAN Caucus. We are offering this measure 

for focusing on an area that is sometimes overlooked but very much 

deserving of our attention. The 10 nations of ASEAN have tremendous potential for growth and share our interests in a secure bipolar Asia. So, reaffirming our relations is an important undertaking. 

We will also consider the Taiwan Travel Act authored by Mr. 

Chabot, the chairman emeritus of the subcommittee. Chairman 

Chabot’s bill will strengthen U.S.-Taiwan relations by codifying a 

policy of greater freedom of movement for the Republic of China officials in the United States and will also facilitate more high-level 

interactions between our governments. 

In the face of China’s intensifying efforts to restrict Taiwan’s 

international space, strengthening our relationships with Taiwan is 

especially important. So I thank Chairman Chabot for introducing 

this measure. 

Next, we consider Chairman Ros-Lehtinen’s reauthorization of 

the North Korea Human Rights Act, as the 2014 U.N. Commission 

of Inquiry of North Korea found the gravity, scale, and nature of 

human rights abuses reveals a state that does not have any parVerDate 0ct 09 2002 10:45 Jul 27, 2017 Jkt 000000 PO 00000 Frm 00042 Fmt 6633 Sfmt 6633 F:\WORK\_AP\061517M\25845 SHIRL

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allel in the contemporary world. Indeed, the Kim regime is the 

world’s worst human rights abuser and North Korea Human Rights 

Act is a fundamental part of congressional leadership to end these 

abuses. 

I have offered a technical amendment to this legislation to unify 

some of its authorization with legislation the committee has passed 

since the Human Rights Act was last reauthorized and look forward to sending this bill to the full committee. 

Finally, we consider the Distribution and Promotion of Rights 

and Knowledge Act of 2017. This bill will promote the freedom of 

information and democracy in North Korea and I would like to 

thank the ranking member, Mr. Sherman, as well as Chairman 

Royce, and Ranking Member Engel of the full committee for joining 

us as original cosponsors on this legislation. 

This bill will expand the authority of the President and the 

Broadcasting Board of Governors to transmit and distribute information inside North Korea, one of the surest ways to weaken the 

Kim regime’s grip on power, to promote freedom and liberties. 

My sincere thanks to my colleagues for joining us today to move 

these important measures further along in the legislative process. 

I now recognize our ranking member, Mr. Sherman, for any remarks he may have. 

Mr. SHERMAN. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. 

We have four excellent bills. We should pass them. I understand 

we will pass then en bloc and before we do that, we should adopt 

the, I believe, en bloc amendment to H.R. 2061, which includes the 

amendment from Mr. Connolly. 

With that, unless someone wants me to yield time, I yield back. 

Mr. YOHO. Members seeking recognition will be recognized for 

brief remarks. 

Mr. Chabot. 

Mr. CHABOT. Thank you. 

I want to thank the chairman for bringing this legislation before 

the subcommittee today. I rise in support of H.R. 535, the Taiwan 

Travel Act, a bill that I, along with my colleague and friend from 

California, Mr. Sherman, introduced earlier this year. 

As a founding member of the Congressional Taiwan Caucus, I 

take the commitments of our country with Taiwan very seriously. 

Yesterday, I expressed my concerns to the Secretary of State, 

Tillerson, regarding our own self-imposed restrictions that prohibit 

high-ranking United States officials from meeting with their Taiwanese counterparts and, worse, bars Taiwanese officials from setting foot in our Nation’s capital, in this city right here. It is ridiculous. This is a center of democracy and freedom. Taiwanese officials 

should be able to come and meet with American officials here in 

Washington, DC. 

This policy goes against our own self-interest. It tells China that 

we are willing to yield to them on our own foreign policy. It conveys 

weakness, I believe, to Beijing. Not only does restricting visits by 

high-level Taiwanese decision-makers tie our leaders’ hands and insult an ally, it makes it nearly impossible to conduct diplomacy in 

an increasingly critical region. 

40

The United States should have direct dialogue with the democratically-elected leadership of Taiwan and it is time to change this 

outdated policy. The Taiwan Travel Act will do this. 

China continues to take aggressive actions that further its longrunning campaign to isolate Taiwan. The United States has a legal 

and moral commitment to defend Taiwan sovereignty in the face of 

these attacks. Restricting high-level visits from Taiwan insults and 

ally and damages our national security in an increasingly dangerous world. 

The United States should encourage direct dialogue with the 

democratically-elected leadership of our ally, Taiwan. It is time to 

change our policy. I encourage my colleagues to support this measure. 

I once again want to thank Mr. Sherman for his leadership on 

this issue as well, making it a bipartisan measure. And I yield 

back. 

Mr. YOHO. Thank you, Mr. Chabot. 

Next we will go to Ms. Gabbard. Did you have a comment? 

Mrs. Wagner. 

Mrs. WAGNER. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. 

I would like to express my support for all of today’s initiatives, 

including the Taiwan Travel Act, which I believe can be, frankly, 

the cornerstone for a more what I will call a mature relationship 

with Taiwan that recognizes Taiwan’s tremendous contributions to 

both democracy and to stability in the Asia Pacific. 

I would also like to speak specifically in support of House Resolution 311, the resolution I was honored to introduce with my colleague, Representative Castro, in commemoration of ASEAN’s 50th 

anniversary and the 40th anniversary of U.S.-ASEAN relations. 

Southeast Asia has tremendous cultural, political, historical, and 

religious diversity. ASEAN was formed, in part, to create a bulwark against communism in the Southeast Asia among these diverse nations. And today, ASEAN’s goals have evolved and the region is experiencing tremendous growth, nearly $100 billion in U.S. 

goods and services are exported to ASEAN, rivaling our $113 billion market in China. 

In January, I founded the bipartisan Congressional Caucus on 

ASEAN with my colleague, Congressman Castro. The Caucus acknowledges America’s special relationship with ASEAN and defines 

ways that Congress can strengthen security, economic, technical, 

and humanitarian engagement in Southeast Asia. 

House Resolution 311 was one of our first initiatives and I am 

grateful that the chair and the ranking member are strong supporters of this effort. The resolution supports and affirms the elevation of the United States-ASEAN relationship to a strategic partnership and reaffirms a U.S. commitment to promoting a rulesbased order in the Asia Pacific and economic growth, peace, human 

rights, and stability in Southeast Asia. 

With that, Mr. Chairman, I yield back. Thank you. 

Mr. YOHO. Thank you, Mrs. Wagner for those great remarks. 

Hearing no further request for recognition, the question occurs 

on the items considered en bloc. 

All those in favor, say aye. 

41

Mr. SHERMAN. Mr. Chairman, we amended H.R. 2061 with the 

two en bloc amendments as part of this? 

Mr. YOHO. Yes, sir. 

Mr. SHERMAN. Okay, so it includes both adopting the en bloc 

amendment to 2061 and your motion also passes. 

Mr. YOHO. Yes, sir, and I thank you for pointing that out. 

Mr. SHERMAN. That makes it an outstanding motion, Mr. Chairman. 

Oh, we may have one more. 

[Simultaneous speaking.] 

Mr. YOHO. We have the honor of being joined by Ms. RosLehtinen. Do you have a comment that you would like to——

Mr. SHERMAN. And I do want to remark I am thrilled that the 

left wing of this table has become so popular. 

Mrs. WAGNER. Solidarity! Solidarity! 

Mr. SHERMAN. We are just moderating that side. 

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Now that FOX has let go of its fair and balanced slogan. 

Thank you, Dr. Yoho, and thank you, Ranking Member Sherman. 

We have our own subcommittee hearing on Russia and the Middle 

East downstairs, so I am a little out of breath. But thank you for 

working with our office to bring the North Korea Human Right Reauthorization Act of 2017 to markup today. 

I was proud to author and lead the reauthorization of this important law in both 2008 and 2012, and I am proud to do so again 

with the measure before you today, H.R. 2061. 

Since 2004, the Human Rights Act of North Korea has provided 

us in the United States with a number of essential tools, designed 

to promote North Korean human rights. H.R. 2061 ensures that 

those tools will continue to be available, including authorizing 

grants that promote human rights, democracy and the rule of law; 

authorizing actions aimed at promoting the freedom of information, 

including increasing the availability of information sources not controlled by the Kim regime; authorizing humanitarian assistance to 

North Korean refugees, defectors, migrants, and orphans, as well 

as women who are victims of trafficking. It also ensures that the 

Special Envoy for North Korea Human Rights Issues; once someone 

is re-appointed, as is required by the original law, continues reporting to Congress on how he or she is fulfilling their responsibilities. 

Every day under the Kim regime, North Koreans are suffering 

unimaginable horrors. They live under constant fear of arrest, of 

disappearance, of execution. They are exploited. They are trafficked, while dissidents are starved and tortured. Rule of law, justice, and freedom of expression simply do not exist. 

With this bill, we ensure that our efforts in the United States to 

promote North Korean human rights continue, that desperately 

needed information is getting to those inside, and that refugees 

fleeing the regime are receiving protection. 

Before I go, I would like to express my support for Chairman 

Yoho’s Distribution and Promotion of Rights and Knowledge Act, 

which makes some very valuable additions to the North Korea 

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ture, as well as knowledge about the rights, the laws, the freedoms 

which North Koreans should be afforded. 

The Kim regime cannot be allowed to maintain its monopoly on 

information and we must continue to explore every possible avenue 

in order to allow North Koreans to get the information they need. 

I thank the chair. I thank the ranking member and all the members for allowing me to join you today. And I yield back. Thank 

you, sir. 

Mr. YOHO. Thank you, Ms. Ros-Lehtinen. Everybody wants to 

know why you stay so fit and it is because you run from one committee hearing to the next. 

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. From one meal to the next. 

VOICE. And I am coming to the next, too. 

Mr. YOHO. Hearing no further requests for recognition, the question occurs on the items considered en bloc, along with the approval of the amendments. 

All those in favor say aye. 

Opposed? 

In the opinion of the Chair, the ayes have it and the measures 

considered en bloc are agreed to. Without objection, the measures 

considered en bloc are ordered favorably reported to the full committee, as amended, and staff is directed to make any technical and 

conforming changes. 

That concludes our markup. 

[Whereupon, at 2:48 p.m., the subcommittee was adjourned.] 

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