CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. – U.S. Senator Bob Corker (R-Tenn.), chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, made the following statement after President Obama signed the North Korea Sanctions and Policy Enhancement Act of 2016 into law.
“We can no longer afford to allow North Korea’s rogue regime to enhance its nuclear and missile capabilities without tougher consequences,” said Corker. “This legislation provides a robust set of tools for the U.S. to deter North Korea’s illicit behavior in a more effective manner and promote human rights for the North Korean people. I hope the administration will use this opportunity to take a more proactive approach against the North Korean nuclear threat.”
On February 10, the Senate passed the legislation in a unanimous vote of 96 to 0 following a day of legislative floor action led by Sen. Corker. North Korea conducted its fourth nuclear test in January and launched a ballistic missile last week in violation of United Nations Security Council resolutions. In recent testimony before Congress, Director of National Intelligence James Clapper confirmed North Korea’s progress in expanding production of weapons-grade nuclear fuel.
The North Korea Sanctions and Policy Enhancement Act of 2016, which was approved unanimously by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee in January, includes the following key provisions:
Sanctions:
Strategies and Policies:
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