North Korean Human Rights Reauthorization Act of 2008
Public Law 110-346 · H.R. 5834 · 110th Congress · began in the House
Signed by George W. Bush (R) on Oct 7, 2008 · International Affairs
Sponsor: Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL-18)
Cosponsors (9): Rep. Howard Berman, Rep. Chris Smith,
Passage votes
- HouseVoice vote
- SenateUnanimous consent
Data notes
The final version of the law, as each chamber passed it. A chamber that passed it by voice vote or unanimous consent has no count. “Method not stated” means the record does not say how the chamber voted. Where the record has a member-by-member vote, the “Who voted for it” section shows who voted yea.
Summary
The Congressional Research Service’s plain-language summary of what the law does.
North Korean Human Rights Reauthorization Act of 2008 - Expresses the sense of Congress with respect to the resettlement of North Korean refugees.
Amends the North Korean Human Rights Act of 2004 to authorize appropriations through FY2012 for: (1) activities to support human rights and democracy and freedom of information (by increasing the availability of non-government controlled sources) in North Korea; and (2) assistance to North Koreans who are outside North Korea.
Directs the Broadcasting Board of Governors to report respecting U.S. broadcasting to North Korea and the extent to which the Board has achieved the goal of 12-hour-per-day broadcasting to North Korea.
States that the Special Envoy on North Korean human rights issues (as renamed by this Act) in North Korea shall have the rank of ambassador. Extends the Special Envoy's annual congressional reporting requirement through FY2012.
Extends the United States Agency for International Development's (USAID) congressional reporting requirement respecting U.S. humanitarian assistance to North Koreans and efforts to improve transparency and monitoring in the provision of such assistance inside North Korea through 2012.
Sets forth specified reporting provisions.
Committees
The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.
Data notes
A committee links to its page only where it exists in the current Congress; older and renamed committees are named without a link.
Related bills
The record lists no related bills.
Data notes
Related bills are identified by the Congressional Research Service, the House and the Senate: companion and identical bills, bills with similar text, bills that were folded into this law, and rules that brought it to the floor. A bill that is itself a public law in this site’s data links here; the others link to Congress.gov.
Timeline
From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 27 actions.
- Oct 7, 2008Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 110-346.
- Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- Sep 26, 2008FloorFloor · Presented to President.
- Sep 23, 2008Resolving differencesResolving differences · Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · On motion that the House suspend the rules and agree to the Senate amendments Agreed to by voice vote.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · Mr. Scott (GA) moved that the House suspend the rules and agree to the Senate amendments.
- FloorFloor · DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate H.R. 5834.
- FloorFloor · Message on Senate action sent to the House.
- OtherOther · Cleared for White House.
- OtherOther · Resolving differences -- House actions: On motion that the House suspend the rules and agree to the Senate amendments Agreed to by voice vote.
- Sep 22, 2008FloorFloor · Passed Senate with amendments by Unanimous Consent.
- FloorFloor · Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent.
- CommitteeCommittee · Senate Committee on Foreign Relations discharged by Unanimous Consent.
- May 19, 2008CommitteeCommittee · Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations.
- May 15, 2008FloorFloor · Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
- FloorFloor · On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote.
- FloorFloor · Considered as unfinished business.
- May 13, 2008FloorFloor · At the conclusion of debate, the chair put the question on the motion to suspend the rules. Mr. Simpson objected to the vote on the grounds that a quorum was not present. Further proceedings on the motion were postponed. The point of no quorum was withdrawn.
- FloorFloor · DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 5834.
- FloorFloor · Considered under suspension of the rules.
- FloorFloor · Mr. Berman moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
- CalendarCalendar · Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 392.
- CommitteeCommittee · Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Foreign Affairs. H. Rept. 110-628.
- Apr 30, 2008CommitteeCommittee · Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by Unanimous Consent.
- CommitteeCommittee · Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
- Apr 17, 2008CommitteeCommittee · Referred to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs.
- IntroducedIntroduced · Introduced in House
Data notes
Every action the Library of Congress lists for the bill, from introduction to signing, plus the dated committee hearings. The source lists many steps twice (the chamber’s own entry and the Library of Congress copy, or a presidential and a became-law entry with the same words); those are shown once. Amendments are listed in their own section.
Amendments
1 amendment offered to the bill, with the last recorded step of each.
- Agreed to
S.Amdt. 5632SenateSen. Christopher DoddD-CT· offered Sep 22, 2008Agreed to
To make certain technical and clarifying amendments.
Sep 22, 2008: Amendment SA 5632 agreed to in Senate by Unanimous Consent.
Data notes
Amendments offered to this bill in either chamber, as the Library of Congress records them: each with a status read from its last recorded step: agreed to, rejected, withdrawn, ruled out of order, fell with another amendment, or offered with no vote recorded (most Senate amendments are only ever offered). The wording of each amendment is the source’s. Amendments to amendments and amendments to other bills are not listed.
Official record
The bill’s full text is on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.