Mike Levin: “I support the Lieberman amendment to provide full funding for the Korean Peninsula Energy Organization, or KEDO. This…”

“I support the Lieberman amendment to provide full funding for the Korean Peninsula Energy Organization, or KEDO. This amendment would provide the funding requested by the Administration needed to meet our obligations under an important agreement this country has with North Korea. This agreement, known as the ``Agreed Framework'' has effectively frozen the North Korean nuclear weapon program. That is why we have such a strong stake in meeting our obligations under this agreement. If we want to continue to freeze and eventually dismantle the North Korean nuclear weapons program, we must uphold our end of the agreement. That means paying our small portion of the cost of the agreement. Mr. President, the underlying bill would reduce the funds for implementing the Agreed Framework with North Korea from $25 million to $13 million. This level of funding--half the amount requested--would not permit the United States to meet its obligation under the Agreed Framework. If that were to happen, North Korea could renege on its commitments under that agreement and resume its nuclear weapons program. This is a remarkable fact, Mr. President. For want of $12 million, we are apparently willing to risk North Korea's return to a nuclear weapons program that we all agree would be exceedingly dangerous for our security and for the security of the Asia-Pacific region, including South Korea and Japan.”