Rounds Applauds Senate Passage of Legislation to Enhance Sanctions Against North Korea
WASHINGTON— U.S. Senator Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) today voted to pass the North Korea Sanctions Enforcement Act of 2016. This legislation imposes new sanctions against North Korean officials involved in its nuclear program and proliferation activities. It also improves enforcement of multilateral sanctions, provides an overall strategy to combat North Korean cyber activities and addresses North Korea’s history of human rights violations.
“In light of last weekend’s satellite launch and last month’s alleged hydrogen bomb test, it is clear that North Korea is moving forward with its nuclear program—a blatant defiance of U.N. Security Council resolutions,” said Rounds. “As North Korea grows more aggressive, it is important the Senate take action to protect our national security interests by imposing stronger, more enforceable sanctions against the regime. These acts of aggression cannot be ignored.”
Rounds is a cosponsor of the North Korea Sanctions and Policy Enhancement Act in the Senate, which would:
- explicitly state that it is the policy of the United States to pursue sanctions against the North Korean government in order to peacefully disarm the North Korean regime;
- require the administration to submit a strategy to counter North Korean cyber-related attacks and impose sanctions on cyber criminals;
- Codify two executive orders released in 2015 authorizing sanctions against entities undermining U.S. and national economic security in cyberspace; and
- Require a report by the State Department identifying human rights abusers in North Korea and a report on their political prison camps.
This bill now heads to the president’s desk to be signed into law.
