Ed Royce: “I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, for 3 years the Committee on Foreign Affairs that I chair has…”

“I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, for 3 years the Committee on Foreign Affairs that I chair has worked with great determination to build support for this North Korea sanctions legislation. I want to thank my Democratic colleagues, and I especially want to thank the gentleman from New York (Mr. Engel), our ranking member, for his support in this legislation. I also thank Senators Corker, Cardin, and Gardner, for their leadership in the Senate and for their strong additions, particularly on human rights and on cyber attacks by the brutal and hostile North Korean regime. Today Congress--Democrats and Republicans, House and Senate--unites to put this North Korean sanctions legislation on the President's desk. Last month this bill passed the House with 418 votes, and this week it passed the Senate 96-0. Mr. Speaker, these overwhelming votes reflect bipartisan frustration with our North Korea policy, a policy of strategic patience that isn't working. Today Congress unites to say it is time for a new approach. Mr. Speaker, last month North Korea conducted its fourth known nuclear test, and last weekend it concluded a long-range missile test. On Tuesday, our Director of National Intelligence, James Clapper, testified that North Korea has restarted a plutonium reactor and expanded that production of weapons-grade nuclear fuel. The threat to the United States and our allies is real.…”