Floyd Spence: “I rise in support of the Solomon amendment expressing the sense of Congress that the United States should take action…”

“I rise in support of the Solomon amendment expressing the sense of Congress that the United States should take action against North Korea including seeking international sanctions and resuming the Team Spirit military exercises if the controversy over the North's nuclear program is not satisfactorily resolved. In addition, I urge support of the Kasich amendment on Korea to be offered later today which draws much needed attention to our security relationship with the Republic of Korea. These two amendments provide the House with at least a brief opportunity to discuss the North Korean crisis. Over the past 18 months, administration policy seems to have been predicated on the belief that North Korea is pursuing nuclear weapons solely for bargaining purposes. But North Korea has demonstrated little interest in bargaining on any terms except their own--which are unacceptable on many fronts. Instead, the North has been testing United States resolve and using the time to expand its nuclear bombmaking program--and doing so successfully. Last November, President Clinton declared that 'North Korea cannot be allowed to develop a nuclear bomb. We have to be very firm about it.' This statement of U.S. policy entailed certain risks, but it was firm and unequivocal.”