Senate Proceeding 07-22-09 on Jul 22nd, 2009 :: 1:41:10 to 1:48:00
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1:41:07 to 1:41:19( Edit History Discussion )

John Kerry: second vote minutes of debate divided as the presiding officer: is there an objection?

1:41:10 to 1:48:00( Edit History Discussion )
Speech By: John Kerry

1:41:38 to 1:41:58( Edit History Discussion )

John Kerry: without objection, so ordered. mr. kerry: the presiding officer: the senator from massachusetts. mr. kerry: mr. president, in addition to senator lugar and senator levin, i believe senator webb is also an original cosponsor of this amendment. i believe that this amendment is a responsible alternative to the amendment that has been

1:41:59 to 1:42:20( Edit History Discussion )

John Kerry: submitted by senator brownback. this amendment appropriately takes note of and condemns north korea's recent behavior as a threat to the northeast asian region and to international peace and security. but in contrast to the brownback amendment, which expresses the

1:42:21 to 1:42:42( Edit History Discussion )

John Kerry: sense of the senate that north korea should immediately be relisted as state sponsor of terrorism kerry-lugar-levin-webb amendment mandates, requires something t happen. not just sense of the senate that this would -- that there might be a relisting, but it mandates a report, a formal

1:42:43 to 1:43:03( Edit History Discussion )

John Kerry: report, to be completed within 30 days examining north korea's conduct since it was r from the terrorism june, including evaluation of any evidence that north korea has engaged in acts of terrorism or provided support for acts of terrorism or terrorist organizations. one of the reasons for requiring

1:43:04 to 1:43:24( Edit History Discussion )

John Kerry: that is that in the brownback amendment, on page line 21, it been recent criminal report that north korea has provided support to the terrorist group hezbollah, ballistic missile components and personnel to train members of

1:43:25 to 1:43:45( Edit History Discussion )

John Kerry: hezbollah," et cetera. let me state unequivocally to my colleagues in the united states senate here on the floor in this debate, there is no -- in the recent, most recent intelligence assessments of our intelligence community, they simply do not sustain

1:43:46 to 1:44:08( Edit History Discussion )

John Kerry: and, in fact, president bush specifically refuted that charge because it was an old one and h refuted it last year. it would be the height of irresponsibility of the united stes senate to pass an amendment based on a finding that is false. and so i say to my colleagues, it is important to have a report to the senate that requires us

1:44:09 to 1:44:34( Edit History Discussion )

John Kerry: to evaluate and have the administration submit to us precisely what the situa the report will assess the effectiveness of korea terrorism for achieving national security objectives, namely, completely eliminating north korea's nuclear programs and

1:44:35 to 1:44:56( Edit History Discussion )

John Kerry: ending proliferation, and then we express the sense of the senate that if the united state that north korea has, in fact, we wou know this within the 30 days, provided supported for terrorism, then the secretary of state should immediately relist north korea as a state sponsor of terrorism. it expresses the sense of the

1:44:57 to 1:45:17( Edit History Discussion )

John Kerry: senate that the united states should vigorously enforce unilateral and multilateral sanctions and consider the imposition of additional sanctions if necessary to achieve the policy goals with respect to north korea. mr. president, i believe it pores more realistic amendment and tougher because it mandates something specific. and it rightly condemns north

1:45:18 to 1:45:38( Edit History Discussion )

John Kerry: korea as we have. let me emphasize, the united states, this administration, has fully and rightly condemned north korea's launch of ballistic missiles and its test of a nuclear weapon may 25, 2009. we international response to the provocations and we succeed in

1:45:39 to 1:45:59( Edit History Discussion )

John Kerry: winning unanimous support the united nations for u.n. security council resolution 1874, imposing sweeping new sanctions against north korea. the sanctions mandated under the u.n. security council resolution 1874 include not only a comprehe

1:46:00 to 1:46:20( Edit History Discussion )

John Kerry: sanctions on trading companies and visa restrictions on those engaged in the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and the sanctions have teeth. they are multilateral. and they are having an impact. north korean cargo ship suspected of carrying arms to burma turned around after it was denied services in singapore and

1:46:21 to 1:46:43( Edit History Discussion )

John Kerry: the government of burma joined with us and the government itself warned the have to be inspected in order to ensure it did not have munitions on board. the sanctions had a bit they're working. as strong as the measures are additional measures may be necessary and this report will help us to evaluate that.

1:46:44 to 1:47:04( Edit History Discussion )

John Kerry: additional steps including the relifting of north korea as a state sponsor of terrorism ought to be based on a careful examination of the facts. that's how we ought to do things in the senate and assess whether or not the sanctio to advance our interests or not.

1:47:05 to 1:47:26( Edit History Discussion )

John Kerry: that is precisely what the kerry-lugar-webb mandates and that is why it is better than the brownback amendment. let me add a last word: we are currently deeply concerned about the fate of two american journalists currently under deten in north korea. the administration hasen gamed

1:47:27 to 1:47:47( Edit History Discussion )

John Kerry: gamed -- engaged with discussions teavmenti their release. for the senate to suggest something we know is factually incorrect but from emotion and otherwise to suggestion that north korea ought to be returned to the list of state sponsors of terrorism without regard to whether or not they have engaged in acts of terrorism or provided

1:47:48 to 1:48:01( Edit History Discussion )

John Kerry: support to terrorist organizations would be irresponsible with those particular efforts and otherwise at this time. we ought to proceed according to facts. we ought to proceed in ways that