#aahth ,,congress #b;d ,session ,h4 ,r4 #cjab ,,an ,,act ,to reauthorize the ,north ,korean ,human ,rights ,act of #bjjd1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,north ,korean ,human ,rights ,reauthorization ,act of #bjbc4 #b4 ,findings ,congress makes the following findings3 7#a7 ,the ,north ,korean ,human ,rights ,act of #bjjd 7,public ,law #ajh-ccc2 #bb ,u4,s4,c4 #ghja et seq47 and subsequent reauthorizations of such ,act aimed to promote the protection of human rights1 documentation of human rights violations1 transparency in the delivery of humanitarian assistance1 and the importance of refugee protection4 7#b7 ,according to the ,state ,department's #bjbc ,country ,reports on ,human ,rights ,practices1 there are widespread reports of political prisoners and detainees''' most external estimates were between #hj1jjj and #abj1jjj2 some ,n,g,os placed the figure as high as #bjj1jjj4 7#c7 ,north ,korea continues to hold a number of ,south ,koreans and ,japanese abducted after the signing of the ,agreement ,concerning a ,military ,armistice in ,korea1 signed at ,panmunjom ,july #bg1 #aiec 7commonly referred to as the ,korean ,war ,armistice ,agreement7 and refuses to acknowledge the abduction of more than #ajj1jjj ,south ,koreans during the ,korean ,war in violation of the ,geneva ,convention4 7#d7 ,according to the ,state ,department's #bjbc ,country ,reports on ,human ,rights ,practices1 there are significant human rights violations in ,north ,korea1 which include arbitrary or unlawful killings1 including extrajudicial killings2 enforced disappearance2 torture or cruel1 inhuman1 or degrading treatment2''' and extensive gender based-violence4 7#e7 ,the effects of the ,,covid-#ai pandemic and ,north ,korea's strict lockdown of its borders and crackdowns on informal market activities and small entrepreneurship have drastically increased food insecurity for its people and given rise to famine conditions in parts of the country4 7#f7 ,north ,korea's ,,covid-#ai border lockdown measures also include shoot-to-kill orders that have resulted in the killing of-- 7,a7 ,north ,koreans attempting to cross the border2 and 7,b7 at least #a ,south ,korean official in ,september #bjbj4 7#g7 ,the ,government of the ,people's ,republic of ,china is aiding and abetting ,north ,korea's human rights violations by forcibly repatriating ,north ,korean refugees to ,north ,korea where they are sent to prison camps1 harshly interrogated1 and tortured or executed4 7#h7 ,the forcible repatriation of ,north ,korean refugees violates the ,people's ,republic of ,china's freely undertaken obligation to uphold the principle of non-refoulement1 as a state party to the the ,convention ,relating to the ,status of ,refugees1 done at ,geneva ,july #bh1 #aiea 7and made applicable by the ,protocol ,relating to the ,status of ,refugees1 done at ,new ,york ,january #ca1 #aifg 7#ai ,,ust #fbbc774 7#i7 ,north ,korea continues to deny freedom of religion and persecute religious minorities1 especially ,christians and followers of ,shaminism4 ,eyewitnesses report that ,christians in ,north ,korea have been tortured1 forcibly detained1 and even executed for possessing a ,bible or professing ,christianity4 7#aj7 ,the position of ,special ,envoy on ,north ,korean ,human ,rights ,issues was vacant from ,january #bjag to ,december #bjbb1 even though the ,president is required to appoint a ,senate-confirmed ,special ,envoy to fill this position in accordance with section #ajg of the ,north ,korean ,human ,rights ,act of #bjjd 7#bb ,u4,s4,c4 #ghag74 ,in ,january #bjbc ,president ,biden nominated ,julie ,turner as ,special ,envoy on ,north ,korean ,human ,rights and ,issues ,she was confirmed in ,july #bjbc4 #c4 ,sense of congress ,it is the sense of ,congress that-- 7#a7 ,the human rights and humanitarian conditions within ,north ,korea remain deplorable and have been intentionally perpetuated against the people of ,north ,korea through policies endorsed and implemented by ,kim ,jong-un and the ,government of ,north ,korea4 7#b7 promoting information access in ,north ,korea continues to be a successful method of countering ,,dprk propaganda and the ,united ,states ,government should continue to support nongovernmental radio broadcasting to ,north ,korea and promote other emerging methods in this space2 7#c7 because refugees among ,north ,koreans fleeing into the ,people's ,republic of ,china face severe punishments upon their forcible return1 the ,united ,states should urge the ,government of the ,people's ,republic of ,china-- 7,a7 to immediately halt its forcible repatriation of ,north ,koreans2 7,b7 to allow the ,united ,nations ,high ,commissioner for ,refugees 7referred to in this section as ,,unhcr7 unimpeded access to ,north ,koreans within ,china to determine whether they are refugees and require assistance2 7,c7 to fulfill its obligations as a state party to the ,convention ,relating to the ,status of ,refugees1 done at ,geneva ,july #bh1 #aiea 7and made applicable by the ,protocol ,relating to the ,status of ,refugees1 done at ,new ,york ,january #ca1 #aifg 7#ai ,,ust #fbbc7 and the ,agreement on the upgrading of the ,,unhcr ,mission in the ,people's ,republic of ,china to ,,unhcr branch office in the ,people's ,republic of ,china1 done at ,geneva ,december #a1 #aiie2 7,d7 to address the concerns of the ,united ,nations ,committee ,against ,torture by incorporating into domestic legislation the principle of non-refoulement2 and 7,e7 to recognize the legal status of ,north ,korean women who marry or have children with ,chinese citizens and ensure that all such mothers and children are granted resident status and access to education and other public services in accordance with ,chinese law and international standards2 7#d7 the ,united ,states should continue to promote the effective and transparent delivery and distribution of any humanitarian aid provided in ,north ,korea to ensure that such aid reaches its intended recipients to the point of consumption or utilization by cooperating closely with the ,government of the ,republic of ,korea and international and nongovernmental organizations2 7#e7 the ,united ,states currently blocks ,united ,states passports from being used to travel to ,north ,korea without a special validation from the ,department of ,state1 and the ,department of ,state should continue to take steps to increase public awareness about the risks and dangers of travel by ,united ,states citizens to ,north ,korea2 7#f7 the ,united ,nations has a significant role to play in promoting and improving human rights in ,north ,korea and should press for access for the ,special ,rapporteur on the situation of human rights in ,north ,korea1 as well as for the ,united ,nations ,high ,commissioner for ,human ,rights2 7#g7 ,north ,korea should repeal the ,reactionary ,thought and ,culture ,denunciation ,law and other draconian laws1 regulations1 and decrees that manifestly violate the freedom of opinion and expression and the freedom of thought1 conscience1 and religion2 7#h7 the ,united ,states should expand the ,rewards for ,justice program to be open to ,north ,korean officials who can provide evidence of crimes against humanity being committed by ,north ,korean officials2 7#i7 the ,united ,states should continue to seek cooperation from all foreign governments-- 7,a7 to allow the ,,unhcr access to process ,north ,korean refugees overseas for resettlement2 and 7,b7 to allow ,united ,states officials access to process refugees for possible resettlement in the ,united ,states2 and 7#aj7 the ,secretary of ,state1 through diplomacy by senior officials1 including ,united ,states ambassadors to ,asia-,pacific countries1 and in close cooperation with ,south ,korea1 should make every effort to promote the protection of ,north ,korean refugees1 escapees1 and defectors4 #d4 ,reauthorizations 7a7 ,support for human rights and democracy programs ,section #ajb7;b77#a7 of the ,north ,korean ,human ,rights ,act of #bjjd 7#bb ,u4,s4,c4 #ghab7;b77#a77 is amended by striking #bjbb and inserting #bjbh4 7b7 ,actions to promote freedom of information ,section #ajd of the ,north ,korean ,human ,rights ,act of #bjjd 7#bb ,u4,s4,c4 #ghad7 is amended-- 7#a7 in subsection 7b77#a71 by striking #bjbb and inserting #bjbh2 and 7#b7 in subsection 7c71 by striking #bjbb and inserting #bjbh4 7c7 ,report by special envoy on north korean human rights issues ,section #ajg7;d7 of the ,north ,korean ,human ,rights ,act of #bjjd 7#bb ,u4,s4,c4 #ghag7;d77 is amended by striking #bjbb and inserting #bjbh4 7d7 ,report on united states humanitarian assistance ,section #bja7;a7 of the ,north ,korean ,human ,rights ,act of #bjjd 7#bb ,u4,s4,c4 #ghca7;a77 is amended1 in the matter preceding paragraph 7#a71 by striking #bjbb and inserting #bjbh4 7e7 ,assistance provided outside of north korea ,section #bjc of the ,north ,korean ,human ,rights ,act of #bjjd 7#bb ,u4,s4,c4 #ghcc7 is amended-- 7#a7 in subsection 7b77#b71 by striking #ajc7ae7 and inserting #ajc7ag72 and 7#b7 in subsection 7c77#a71 by striking #bjah through #bjbb and inserting #bjbd through #bjbh4 7f7 ,annual reports ,section #cje7;a7 of the ,north ,korean ,human ,rights ,act of #bjjd 7#bb ,u4,s4,c4 #ghde7;a77 is amended1 in the matter preceding paragraph 7#a7 by striking #bjbb and inserting #bjbh4 #e4 ,actions to promote freedom of information ,title ,i of the ,north ,korean ,human ,rights ,act of #bjjd 7#bb ,u4,s4,c4 #ghaa et seq47 is amended-- 7#a7 in section #ajc7;a71 by striking ,broadcasting ,board of ,governors and inserting ,united ,states ,agency for ,global ,media2 and 7#b7 in section #ajd7;a7-- 7,a7 by striking ,broadcasting ,board of ,governors each place such term appears and inserting ,united ,states ,agency for ,global ,media2 7,b7 in paragraph 7#g77;,b7-- 7i7 by redesignating clauses 7i7 through 7iii7 as clauses 7ii7 through 7iv71 respectively2 7ii7 by inserting before clause 7ii71 as so redesignated the following3 7i7 an update of the plan required under subparagraph 7,a72 2 and 7iv7 in clause 7iii71 as so redesignated1 by striking pursuant to section #djc and inserting to carry out this section4 #f4 ,special envoy for north korean human rights issues ,section #ajg of the ,north ,korean ,human ,rights ,act of #bjjd 7#bb ,u4,s4,c4 #ghag7 is amended by adding at the end the following3 7e7 ,report on appointment of special envoy ,if the position of ,special ,envoy will remain vacant for #a year or longer without any presidential nomination to appoint a new ,special ,envoy1 not later than #ij days before the date on which such position becomes vacant for #a year1 the ,secretary of ,state shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees a report that describes the efforts being taken to appoint a new ,special ,envoy4 4 #g4 ,sense of congress regarding korean american divided families ,it is the sense of ,congress-- 7#a7 the ,united ,states and ,north ,korea should begin the process of reuniting ,korean-,american divided family members with their immediate relatives through ways such as-- 7,a7 identifying divided families in the ,united ,states and ,north ,korea who are willing and able to participate in a pilot program for family reunions2 7,b7 finding matches for members of such families through organizations such as the ,red ,cross2 and 7,c7 working with the ,government of ,south ,korea to include ,american citizens in inter-,korean video reunions2 7#b7 the institution of family is inalienable and the restoration of contact between divided families whether physically1 literarily1 or virtually is an urgent need2 and 7#c7 the ,united ,states and ,north ,korea should pursue reunions as a humanitarian priority of immediate concern4 ,passed the ,house of ,representatives ,november #bj1 #bjbd4;,clerk4