“This is an Orwellian regime. In fact, it is so much so that I think it would make George Orwell blush that he had not the imagination for the kind of suppression, oppression, and degradation that occurs in the North Korean regime today”, said Rep. Connolly.
On may 29, 2014 Rep. Gerry Connolly of Virginia asked for and was granted permission to address the United States House of Representatives for one minute regarding a effort in Congress to increase and tighten sanctions against North Korea:
“Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commend the House Foreign Affairs Committee for adopting the North Korea Sanctions Act of 2014. I am proud to be an original cosponsor of that legislation and was very pleased the committee unanimously adopted an amendment of mine to strengthen the legislation even further.
This is an Orwellian regime. In fact, it is so much so that I think it would make George Orwell blush that he had not the imagination for the kind of suppression, oppression, and degradation that occurs in the North Korean regime today.
Mr. Speaker, 200,000 North Koreans are in gulags throughout the country–freedom of expression, freedom of religion, and freedom of political practice all repressed; and the terrible, terrible suffering, preventing the reunification of Korean families even to visit, the complete lack of humanitarian regard by this brutal regime is something we Americans cannot ignore, and we here in Congress have an obligation to address.
I commend the House Foreign Affairs Committee today for adopting unanimously this important piece of legislation and eagerly look forward to supporting it when it comes here to the floor”, said Connolly (source: Congressional Record http://thomas.loc.gov/).
See video: Connolly Calls on House to Pass The North Korean Sanctions Act http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tgzUiPtvGDw