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[Congressional Bills 113th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Con. Res. 91 Introduced in House (IH)]

113th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. CON. RES. 91

       Encouraging reunions of divided Korean American families.

_______________________________________________________________________

                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             March 6, 2014

Mr. Rangel (for himself, Mr. Coble, Mr. Conyers, and Mr. Sam Johnson of 
    Texas) submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was 
              referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                         CONCURRENT RESOLUTION

 
       Encouraging reunions of divided Korean American families.

Whereas the Republic of Korea (hereinafter in this resolution referred to as 
        ``South Korea'') and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea 
        (hereinafter in this resolution referred to as ``North Korea'') remain 
        divided since the armistice agreement was signed on July 27, 1953;
Whereas the United States, which as a signatory to the armistice agreement as 
        representing the United Nations Forces Command, and with 28,500 of its 
        troops currently stationed in South Korea, has a stake in peace on the 
        Korean Peninsula and is home to more than 1.7 million Americans of 
        Korean descent;
Whereas the division on the Korean Peninsula separated more than 10,000,000 
        Korean family members, including some who are now citizens of the United 
        States;
Whereas North Korea has recently resumed the family reunions with South Korea, 
        which halted in 2010 due to escalated tensions between the two nations;
Whereas the United States currently does not have diplomatic relations with 
        North Korea, thereby excluding Korean Americans to participate in the 
        family reunions;
Whereas President George W. Bush on January 28, 2008, signed into law the 
        National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008 (Public Law 110-
        181), which in section 1265 of such law required a report on family 
        reunions between United States citizens and their relatives in North 
        Korea;
Whereas President Barack Obama on December 16, 2009, signed into law the 
        Continuing Appropriations Act, 2011 (Public Law 111-242), which urged 
        the Special Representative on North Korea Policy to prioritize the 
        issues involving Korean divided families;
Whereas the number of more than 100,000 estimated divided family members in the 
        United States last identified in 2001 has been significantly dwindling 
        as many of them have passed away;
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;
Whereas North Korea's willingness to start family reunions between Koreans in 
        North Korea and the United States would signify making progress on the 
        humanitarian front and foster dialogue towards building peace; and
Whereas peace on the Korean Peninsula remains a long-term goal for the 
        Governments of both North and South Korea and the United States, and 
        would mean greater security and stability for the region and the world: 
        Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), 
That Congress--
            (1) recognizes the significance of North Korea's 
        willingness to resume family reunions between North and South 
        Korea;
            (2) encourages North Korea to allow Korean Americans to 
        meet with their divided families in North Korea; and
            (3) calls on North Korea to continue building goodwill that 
        is conducive to peace on the Korean Peninsula.
                                 <all>
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