Chris Smith: “Mr. Speaker, I want to rise in strong support of H. Res. 1735, condemning North Korea's unprovoked shelling of the South…”

“Mr. Speaker, I want to rise in strong support of H. Res. 1735, condemning North Korea's unprovoked shelling of the South Korean island of Yeonpyeong on November 23. I want to thank my good friend and colleague Chairman Berman and Ranking Member Ileana Ros-Lehtinen for introducing the resolution. And I, too, like Mr. Poe and others, am very proud to be a cosponsor. Mr. Speaker, with this resolution, we extend our deep condolences and sympathy to the families of those killed and injured in the attack. It's especially fitting that we as Americans do this since, along with the tremendous sacrifices for freedom made by the people of South Korea, we have lost tens of thousands of Americans in that same cause. Mr. Speaker, since the shelling of Yeonpyeong Island was an act of aggression committed against an ally, the resolution also rightly affirms our alliance with South Korea, supports further cooperation on security matters, and calls on China to use its influence to restrain North Korea. Mr. Speaker, it's important to remember that North Korea's aggression toward South Korea has almost been nonstop since 1950.”