Press Releases
Pascrell Supports Reunification of Korean-American Families
Washington, DC,
July 21, 2021
U.S. Rep. Bill Pascrell, Jr. (D-NJ-09) this week voted in favor of two bills that support the reunification of Korean-American families separated as a result of the Korean War. The Divided Families Reunification Act (H.R. 826), which passed the House on July 19 by a vote of 415-0, requires the U.S. Secretary of State and the U.S. Special Envoy on North Korea Human Rights Issues to prioritize helping divided Korean American families reunite with their loved ones in North Korea. H. Res. 294, which passed the House on July 20, encourages the United States and North Korea to exchange information and utilize humanitarian channels to facilitate the reunification of Korean-American divided family members. Rep. Pascrell is a cosponsor of H. Res. 294 and voted in support of both bills. “With millions of families divided by the Korean War, it is vital that we find a way to reunite them with their loved ones. I was proud to help lead such an effort in the House of Representatives” said Rep. Pascrell, a vocal ally of New Jersey’s Korean-American community. “So many years have passed, and these families have suffered for far too long. They deserve to see their relatives again, and I am committed to seeing that they do. This week along with my friends Congresswomen Grace Meng and Karen Bass, we are taking a major step towards making reunification a possibility for many of our Korean-American neighbors.” Rep. Pascrell is one of Congress’s most vocal supporters of North Jersey’s vibrant Korean-American community. Amid a rise in racist tropes being associated with COVID-19, Pascrell visited Palisades Park at the outset of the pandemic where he denounced bigoted stigmas being associated with the virus and pledged his support for local Korean-American businesses. |