Political Quotes

“Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank Representative Bass for sponsoring this resolution, which draws attention to a pressing humanitarian issue affecting the Korean-American community. This June will mark 70 years since the beginning of the Korean war, which separated 10 million Koreans from their immediate family members. Since 1985, family reunions carried out between the North and the South briefly reunited more than 20,000 family members, but there are still thousands more who have brothers, sisters, or parents who have been separated for decades. It must be a humanitarian priority for the United States to facilitate reunions for these separated families. Considering the many years that have passed, many of these families are older, and if we don't act soon, they may never see their loved ones again. The measure before us underscores the long history of U.S. support for family reunification between Korean Americans and their relatives still in North Korea. It outlines different ways that North Korea and the United States can respectively take action, including a pilot program for family reunions, a family registry supported by the Red Cross and other organizations, and the use of technology to allow reunions for those who might not be physically able to travel for in- person reunions. This is a good, commonsense resolution reiterating our country's commitment to reuniting families split by the Korean war.…”