House passes Woodall-backed legislation to reunite Korean families

Statement

Last night, the U.S House of Representatives passed bipartisan legislation to reunite Korean-Americans with family members in North Korea.

H.R. 1771, the "Divided Families Reunification Act," would direct the U.S. Department of State to consult with South Korean officials on how to reunite Korean-American families with family members in North Korea, as well as to fill the vacancy in the position of "Special Envoy for Human Rights in North Korea." While the U.S. House of Representatives has introduced a number of resolutions to raise awareness about this difficult subject, this bill would compel the State Department to take diplomatic steps to address this tragedy.

"The Korean War left too many Korean-Americans wondering if they would ever see their loved ones again," said Rep. Rob Woodall (R, GA-7). "I worked with my friend Representative Grace Meng (D, NY-6) to introduce this measure, and I am pleased that the House has recognized this tragedy and passed our bill to help reunify these families."

The "Divided Families Reunification Act" is now headed to the Senate for further consideration.

Congressman Woodall represents the Seventh Congressional District of Georgia, which includes significant portions of Forsyth and Gwinnett counties. He currently serves on the Rules Committee, the Transportation & Infrastructure Committee, and the Budget Committee.

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