The Congressional Record is a unique source of public documentation. It started in 1873, documenting nearly all the major and minor policies being discussed and debated.
“SANCTIONS AGAINST NORTH KOREA” mentioning the U.S. Dept of Agriculture was published in the House of Representatives section on pages H7416-H7417 on Sept. 14, 2017.
The Department is primarily focused on food nutrition, with assistance programs making up 80 percent of its budget. Downsizing the Federal Government, a project aimed at lowering taxes and boosting federal efficiency, said the Department implements too many regulations and restrictions and impedes the economy.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
SANCTIONS AGAINST NORTH KOREA
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Budd). Under the Speaker's announced policy of January 3, 2017, the gentleman from Arkansas (Mr. Hill) is recognized for 60 minutes as the designee of the majority leader.
Mr. HILL. I thank the Chair for recognizing me for this Special Order hour.
Mr. Speaker, this week in Congress, we have considered in the House Financial Services Committee legislation that will increase and expand the sanctions against the government and the dictators in North Korea.
Mr. Speaker, the north Asian region and our allies there are of critical importance to the United States economically. South Korea and Japan are major economic partners of the United States. Both countries represent a major partnership in our security interests in north Asia, and so it is fitting that we continue to work in Congress, along with the Trump administration, to increase the financial sanctions and economic sanctions on the rogue government in North Korea.
For our citizens, it is important to trace back the history of U.S. sanctions and the relationship with North Korea. Going back four Presidents--Trump, Obama, Bush 43, and Clinton--we have been dealing with North Korea.
President Clinton agreed to a ``freeze'' and ``dismantlement'' of the North Korean nuclear program, Mr. Speaker; and as a result, the North Koreans agreed to inspections, and the United States, along with its allies, agreed to $4 billion in payments to the regime. That was in 1994, Mr. Speaker. We don't have much to show for that effort.
In January, in the State of the Union, 2002, President Bush 43 described North Korea as part of the axis of evil, including Iraq and Iran. Clearly, the North Koreans were not complying with Mr. Clinton's agreement, but the post-9/11 world of the United States had our government, our diplomacy, our military, our sanctions regime focused on the Middle East, focused on Afghanistan, Iraq, and, indeed, Iran.
And then you come to the period of President Obama, where his strategy with North Korea was one of strategic patience. We have had 8 years, Mr. Speaker, of strategic patience, and what have we got to show for that? Unprecedented numbers of ballistic missile flights, unprecedented numbers of nuclear tests.
So, Mr. Speaker, after over two decades, it was time for a change.
Mr. Speaker, I want to take the floor of the House today and thank the leadership of President Trump and his very capable national security team, led by Secretary Mattis, Secretary Tillerson, for ending strategic patience and for taking our country and the world in a different direction to end the nuclear ambitions of North Korea.
Now, the United States, on a bipartisan basis in this House and in the upper Chamber, in the Senate, along with the Trump administration, is fully onboard with using all the tools that we have to once and for all lead to denuclearization of the peninsula and end North Korea's rogue program to join the group of nuclear nations. They have taken themselves out of nuclear nonproliferation. They are a rogue nation.
I am very pleased to see Secretary Mnuchin at the Treasury focus on what new financial sanctions under current law the United States can pursue by our Treasury Department.
I am very pleased with Chairman Royce of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Ranking Member Engel, and the Financial Services Committee for their collaboration on legislation on how we enhance sanctions that the United States can place on people doing business with North Korea and North Korea itself.
Mr. Speaker, I want to congratulate our Ambassador to the United Nations, Ambassador Haley, for not one, but two 15-0 votes in the U.N. Security Council on ratcheting up the pressure on sanctions. Those are important.
But the most important thing is, Mr. Speaker, whether it is secondary sanctions and sanctions in the United States put on others by the U.S. alone or multilateral sanctions imposed by the U.N. Security Council, the secret is enforcement. We must have enforcement.
When you look back over this two-decade period, you can't really come to the conclusion that we have ever seriously sanctioned the rogue government in North Korea, not to the extent that we have done with Iran, not to the extent that we did with Iraq, the two other partners in President Bush's axis of evil.
So the time is now, Mr. Speaker, to use all of our skills and abilities: diplomatically, as led by Secretary Tillerson; economically, as led by Secretary Mnuchin and our worthy, great leader, our Ambassador at the United Nations; and in military strategy with our allies, under Secretary Mattis. We have the support of the world now, Mr. Speaker, and this is no time to not bear down and get that kind of enforcement.
I was so delighted on behalf of the Congress and on behalf of the United States that, just yesterday, Prime Minister Modi in India and Prime Minister Abe, on a visit to India, reiterated their strong support for enforcement of the United Nations sanctions.
Mr. Speaker, I want to thank this administration for taking a new look and taking North Korea's ambitions seriously and taking the issue of using all of our absolute capabilities, whether they are diplomatic, economic, or military, to end this rogue nation's nuclear ambitions.
Girl Scouts STEM Badges
Mr. HILL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today and come to the House floor to recognize the Girl Scouts of America, which recently announced that they are adding 23 new badges related to science, technology, engineering, math, and the outdoors. These new STEM badges come a month after Girl Scouts of the USA added cybersecurity badges to promote computer and internet literacy and cybersecurity. These new initiatives within the Girl Scouts were a reflection of its ability to adapt to the ever-changing skills essential to the development of our youth in this century.
As an Eagle Scout, I understand the importance of values and skills acquired through scouting, and I commend the Girl Scouts for encouraging our youth to explore these innovative scientific fields.
As a member of the Congressional Scouting Caucus, I will continue to support the good work of Girl Scouts of the USA, and I look forward to following its continued success for generations of young women to come.
Recognizing the Life of Adam McClung
Mr. HILL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the life of a man who had an indelible impact on Arkansas and our Nation, Mr. Adam McClung, who passed away last month at 37 years young.
Adam was a husband, a father, and a champion of the cattle industry in Arkansas while he served as the executive vice president of the Arkansas Cattlemen's Association.
A graduate of Greenbrier High School in the beautiful Second Congressional District, Adam attended Oklahoma State University, where he studied agriculture, business economics, and animal science.
In 2014, Adam was recognized by the White House and the U.S. Department of Agriculture as a ``Champion of Change.'' He was one of only 15 individuals from around our country to be recognized as a leader in his industry that year.
Adam's passion and drive will be missed throughout Arkansas and the cattle industry.
He is survived by his wife, Chantel, and a daughter, Maggie Blair.
I extend my respect, affection, and prayers for the family and his loved ones.
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Remembering Melvin Pickens, the ``Broom Man'' of Little Rock
Mr. HILL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to acknowledge and remember the unrelenting, optimistic world view of Melvin Pickens, a constituent affectionately known around Little Rock as the ``Broom Man.'' Mr. Pickens passed away at age 84 in June, after battling numerous health issues.
The Broom Man earned his nickname over a 60-year tenure purchasing iconic, red-handled brooms at wholesale and selling them to passersby for $10.
I remember Melvin fondly at my many breakfasts at the Ozark Smokehouse Restaurant in Little Rock, and including my past broom purchases.
Through a never-ending battle with legal blindness, and an unexpected stroke, which made carrying brooms over his shoulder incredibly difficult, Melvin never ceased to retain a positive, hopeful attitude. His hard work, determination, and unyielding perseverance, and never quitting, enabled him to provide his late wife and four children a wonderful life. And all four of those children attended college.
The Broom Man is an everlasting testament to the value of having a rigorous work ethic, an optimistic world view, and being genuinely a caring person.
Recognizing Arkansas National Guard Staff Sergeant Tasheenia Wallace
Mr. HILL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Arkansas National Guard Staff Sergeant Tasheenia Wallace for becoming the first woman to ever complete the Arkansas National Guard Infantry Course.
On July 26, Staff Sergeant Wallace graduated from the Infantry Transition Course, a 2-week residency training program at the Robinson Maneuver Training Center in North Little Rock. She was 1 of 22 people to complete the program, which allows soldiers who are already serving to change their current military occupational specialty to infantry.
Staff Sergeant Wallace now holds four different occupational specialties: administration, logistics, chemicals, and now hard-earned infantry. With this training, she is able to command a squad, usually composed of 7 to 10 soldiers.
My congratulations and best wishes to Staff Sergeant Wallace and her bright future defending our Nation.
Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
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