Guam’s delegate to Congress Madeleine Z. Bordallo on Wednesday introduced a resolution condemning North Korea’s threats against Guam and endorsing the reinforcement of defense system on island to shield it from any possible attack.
The bipartisan resolution also urged the international community to fully enforce sanctions against Pyongyang, which has conducted dozens of ballistic missile and component tests since 2006.
“North Korea has continually shown willful disregard for UN resolutions, international agreements, sanctions, and arms controls in pursuit of its illicit nuclear weapons program,” Bordallo said.
She added that Kim Jong-un’s threats last month to launch “enveloping fire” of ballistic missiles aimed at Guam “were reprehensible and demand firm condemnation.”
“The people of Guam are patriotic Americans who have given much to our nation and the security and prosperity of the region,” Bordallo said.
“I remain fully confident in the defensive capabilities on Guam and in the region, but it is vital that we do all that we can to prevent a military conflict with North Korea, and ensure that its regime does not continue down this path of reckless and destabilizing nuclear militarization.”
The resolution was cosponsored by House Reps. Robert Brady (PA-01), Anthony Brown (MD-04), Dwight Evans (PA-01), Ruben Gallego (AZ-07), Tulsi Gabbard (HI-02), Jennifer González-Colón (PR), Colleen Hanabusa (HI-01), Vicky Hartzler (MO-4), James McGovern (MA-02), Stephanie Murphy (FL-07), Donald Norcross (NJ-02), Tom O’Halleran (AZ-01), Amata Radewagen (AS), Gregorio Sablan (MP), Austin Scott (GA-08), Carol Shea-Porter (NH-01), Thomas Suozzi (NY-03), Mike Thompson (CA-05), Juan Vargas (CA-51), Marc Veasey (TX-33) and Robert Wittman (VA-01).
The resolution seeks to protect all citizens in the Pacific region by supporting the evaluation of investments in defensive capabilities in the region, reaffirming the forward deployment of missile defense systems, urging enhanced strategic diplomatic engagement and military cooperation, demanding that the international community fully enforce sanctions against North Korea, and condemning any further escalation that endangers Guam and the rest of the region.