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U.S. NEWS A3
Wednesday 13 January 2016

US House okays bill to sanction North Korea after nuke test

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi of Calif. Speaks to reporters such as selling their missile dated against any coun- nuclear test — this one det-
on legislation imposing new sanctions on North Korea on Capi- technology, counterfeit- try, business or individual onating a thermonuclear
tol Hill in Washington. U.S. House Republicans and Democrats ing U.S. currency, and drug that materially contributes device with massive de-
joined together Tuesday to overwhelmingly approve legislation smuggling. “And all of that to North Korea’s nuclear structive power.
that aims to punish North Korea for conducting its latest nuclear is used to advance North and ballistic missile de- The announcement was
test. Korea’s nuclear program,” velopment, imports luxury met with doubt North Ko-
Royce said. goods into North Korea, or rea had set off a hydrogen
(AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite) A similar strategy was used engages with Pyongyang bomb, which would mark
very effectively a decade in money laundering, the a major technological ad-
ago by the Treasury De- manufacture of counterfeit vance for Pyongyang’s
partment, Royce said. goods, or narcotics traffick- limited nuclear arsenal.
A central part of the House ing, according to the legis- But it could take weeks or
legislation is to make so- lation. Royce’s committee even longer to confirm or
called “blocking sanctions” unanimously approved refute the claim. Members
mandatory rather than the sanctions bill in Febru- of the Senate Foreign Rela-
discretionary as currently ary 2015 and it remained tions Committee received
permitted through existing there until last week when a classified briefing on
regulations. North Korea announced North Korea on Monday
The sanctions are man- it had conducted a fourth evening. q

RICHARD LARDNER oppose the House sanc-
Associated Press tions bill, said a senior ad-
WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. ministration official who was
House Republicans and not authorized to speak
Democrats joined together publicly about the legisla-
Tuesday to overwhelmingly tion and requested ano-
approve legislation that nymity. The administration
aims to punish North Ko- is deeply concerned about
rea for conducting its latest North Korea’s recent ac-
nuclear test. tions, the official said, and
Just hours ahead of Presi- will continue to use existing
dent Barack Obama’s final sanctions authorities to pre-
State of the Union address vent financial support for
top both chambers of Con- North Korea’s nuclear and
gress, lawmakers passed missile programs.
the North Korea Sanctions Republicans who have
Enforcement Act by a vote criticized Obama’s foreign
of 418-2. The bill proposes policy as feckless used the
stronger sanctions that timing of the vote to dem-
deny Pyongyang the mon- onstrate that they are tak-
ey it needs for developing ing swift action to deal with
miniaturized nuclear war- threats to the U.S. while the
heads and the long-range president procrastinates.
missiles to deliver them, “When America doesn’t
according to the legisla- stand up to dictators, prob-
tion’s backers. Cutting off lems around the world only
North Korea’s access to get worse,” said House Ma-
cash also makes it difficult jority Leader Kevin McCar-
for Pyongyang to pay its thy, a Republican. “Foreign
army and police forces, aggressors take American
said Rep. Ed Royce, the Re- inaction as a sign of weak-
publican chairman of the ness, and the result is only
House Foreign Affairs Com- more instability and insecu-
mittee. “What we are con- rity abroad.” The bill would
cerned about here is the use financial and econom-
miniaturization of nuclear ic pressure to isolate North
warheads that fit onto Korean leader Kim Jong Un
its most reliable missiles,” and his top officials from the
Royce said Monday on the assets that they maintain in
House floor. “This threat is foreign banks and from the
unacceptable, and it has money that sustains their
to be aggressively chal- rule, Royce said. These as-
lenged.” sets are derived primarily
The White House does not from illicit activities, he said,