North Korean Human Rights Reauthorization Act of 2017
Public Law 115-198 · H.R. 2061 · 115th Congress · began in the House
Signed by Donald Trump (R) on Jul 20, 2018 · International Affairs
Sponsor: Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL-27)
Cosponsors (16): Rep. Eliot Engel, Rep. Ted Yoho,
Passage votes
- HouseUnanimous consent
- 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 2017
(Sec. 4) This bill provides for increased dissemination of news and information access to North Korea.
The North Korean Human Rights Act of 2004 is amended to include news rebroadcasting in supported broadcasting to North Korea.
(Sec. 5) The President may: (1) distribute or provide grants to distribute information receiving devices, electronically readable devices, and other informational sources into North Korea; and (2) provide grants to develop and distribute new products or methods to allow North Koreans easier access to outside information.
The Broadcasting Board of Governors may broadcast American, Korean, Chinese, and other popular music, television, movies, and popular cultural references as part of its programming.
The board shall broadcast to North Korea in the Korean language information on rights, laws, and freedoms afforded through the North Korean Constitution and through human rights treaties or other international agreements.
The bill urges that information access efforts should include religious communities and be coordinated with the Office of International Religious Freedom.
(Sec. 7) The President may provide grants for research on North Korea's denial of human rights.
The bill extends through FY2022: (1) programs that promote human rights, democracy, the rule of law, and the development of a market economy in North Korea; (2) actions to promote freedom of information in North Korea; and (3) humanitarian assistance to North Koreans who are outside of North Korea without the permission of the government.
The bill extends through 2022 annual reporting requirements regarding: (1) freedom of information, (2) North Korean human rights issues, (3) U.S. humanitarian assistance inside North Korea and to North Koreans outside of North Korea, and (4) the number of North Koreans seeking refugee status or political asylum in the United States.
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
1 bill the Library of Congress relates to this one.
S. 1118Related bill
North Korean Human Rights Reauthorization Act of 2017
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. 23 actions.
- Jul 20, 2018Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 115-198.
- Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- Jul 10, 2018FloorFloor · Presented to President.
- Jun 27, 2018Resolving differencesResolving differences · Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · On motion that the House agree to the Senate amendment Agreed to without objection.
- FloorFloor · Ms. Ros-Lehtinen asked unanimous consent to take from the Speaker's table and agree to the Senate amendment.
- OtherOther · Resolving differences -- House actions: On motion that the House agree to the Senate amendment Agreed to without objection.
- Apr 25, 2018FloorFloor · Message on Senate action sent to the House.
- Apr 24, 2018FloorFloor · Passed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent.
- FloorFloor · Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent.
- CommitteeCommittee · Senate Committee on Foreign Relations discharged by Unanimous Consent.
- Sep 26, 2017CommitteeCommittee · Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations.
- Sep 25, 2017FloorFloor · 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 the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 415 - 0 (Roll no. 531).House roll call 531
- FloorFloor · Considered as unfinished business.
- FloorFloor · At the conclusion of debate, the Yeas and Nays were demanded and ordered. Pursuant to the provisions of clause 8, rule XX, the Chair announced that further proceedings on the motion would be postponed.
- FloorFloor · DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 2061.
- FloorFloor · Considered under suspension of the rules.
- FloorFloor · Mr. Royce (CA) moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
- Jul 27, 2017CommitteeCommittee · Ordered to be Reported in the Nature of a Substitute (Amended) by Voice Vote.
- CommitteeCommittee · Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
- Apr 6, 2017CommitteeCommittee · 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. 2240SenateSen. Marco RubioR-FL· offered Apr 24, 2018Agreed to
In the nature of a substitute.
Apr 24, 2018: Amendment SA 2240 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.