Last week, I voted to pass H.R. 1644, the Korean Interdiction and Modernization of Sanctions Act of 2017. This bill amends the North Korea Sanctions and Policy Enhancement Act of 2016 to modify and increase the President’s authority to impose sanctions on persons in violation of certain U.N. Security Council resolutions regarding North Korea. The Ports and Waterways Safety Act is amended to prohibit any foreign vessel from entering or operating in U.S. waters or transferring cargo in any port under U.S. jurisdiction if such vessel is owned by North Korea or owned or operated on behalf of any country not complying with Security Council resolutions.
The bill also specifies that the President must report to Congress: (1) measures to deny specialized financial messaging services to U.N.-designated North Korean financial institutions, (2) foreign countries whose seaports and airports fail to inspect or seize the cargo of North Korean ships or aircraft as required by Security Council resolutions, (3) North Korea-Iran weapons and nuclear cooperation, (4) foreign government implementation of Security Council resolutions regarding North Korea, and (5) whether North Korea is a state sponsor of terrorism.
Finally, the bill gives the Departments of State and Homeland Security greater autonomy to enhance screening of cargo bound for or landed in the United States and monitoring of North Korea’s arms trade.
Congressman Daniel Webster represents The Villages in the U.S. House of Representatives.
