Senate passes bill aiming to prevent North Korean nuclear weapons

The Senate passed a bill Monday to prevent nuclear proliferation in North Korea.

Senate Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Robert Menendez (D-N.J.) introduced the North Korea Nonproliferation and Accountability Act, which passed by unanimous consent Monday evening before the Senate adjourned for the day.

S. 298 is a response to North Korea reportedly conducting its third launch test of a nuclear devise earlier this month. 

The legislation expresses the sense of Congress that the missile tests “represent flagrant violations” of sanctions against North Korea and urges other members of the United Nations to implement stronger sanctions against the country.

The United States and other countries have been trying to get North Korea to end its ballistic missile and nuclear weapons programs.

The bill also says members of Congress believe the U.S. government should “seek a new round of United Nations Security Council sanctions, including the public identification of all North Korean and foreign banks, business, and government agencies suspected of conduct that violates United Nations Security Council resolutions, and implementing necessary measures to ensure enforcement of such sanctions.”

Menendez’s bill also calls on the Secretary of State to issue a report by May 15 on U.S. policy towards North Korea and ways to end North Korea’s missiles program.

Sens. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.), Bob Corker (R-Tenn.), Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), James Inhofe (R-Okla.), Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) and Joe Donnelly (D-Ind.) are co-sponsoring the bill, which the House will likely consider next.

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