In a rare show of bipartisan support, the House of Representatives on Friday overwhelmingly passed legislation to impose tougher sanctions on North Korea following a series of moves that were seen as aggressive.
The 408-2 vote comes after Pyongyang launched a rocket carrying a satellite into space earlier this month, which many believe was a covert test of long-range ballistic missile technology, and purportedly tested a hydrogen bomb last month, it's fourth nuclear test. Both were violations of international prohibitions. The bill, H.R. 757, passed the Senate earlier this week in a 96-0 vote and is now headed to President Barack Obama, who is expected to sign it, reported Reuters.
Once signed, the Obama administration will be required to sanction anyone involved with North Korea's nuclear or missile program. The bill would use "secondary sanctions" to target anyone involved with the country's weapons and raw mineral trading, money laundering, human rights abuse or cyberattacks.
The goal is to make it difficult for Pyongyang to obtain the money it needs to develop miniaturized nuclear warheads and the long-range missiles used to deliver them, according to the Associated Press.
Lawmakers are frustrated that North Korea has avoided any serious punishment for its seemingly aggressive behavior and are concerned that the international community isn't doing enough to contain the threat.
"This bill sends the message to the regime in North Korea that they must reform and they must disarm this nuclear weapons program. By cutting off the regime's access to the money it need for its army and its weapons, the bill will return us to the one strategy that has worked: financial pressure on North Korea," said Ed Royce, the bill's sponsor and the Republican chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, according to AP
The measure also earmarks $50 million over five years to provide refugees with humanitarian services, purchase communications equipment and send radio broadcasts into North Korea in order to provide its citizens access to alternative media.
The only two lawmakers to vote against the measure were Libertarian-leaning Reps. Justin Amash, R-Mich., and Thomas Massie, R-Ky., according to The Hill.
Director of National Intelligence James Clapper told the Senate Armed Services Committee on Tuesday that North Korea has restarted a plutonium reactor and is attempting to develop a long-range nuclear missile. The country could begin recovering plutonium needed for a nuclear weapon within weeks, he said.
