Bill > HR7218

This bill aims to expedite the provision of humanitarian assistance, including life-saving medical care, to the people of North Korea. The key provisions are: 1. The Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) shall expand the humanitarian exception to U.S. sanctions on North Korea to include items that meet basic human needs and are not subject to the Export Administration Regulations, or exempt certain non-sensitive items for humanitarian operations from specific licensing requirements. 2. For U.S. passport holders, the State Department shall devise a strategy to expedite and simplify the process to obtain permission to travel to North Korea to provide humanitarian assistance. 3. The State Department shall direct the U.S. representative to the United Nations to urge the UN to make it less burdensome for non-governmental organizations to apply for humanitarian exemptions to UN sanctions on North Korea and speed up the approval process. The bill also includes findings on the dire humanitarian situation in North Korea and provisions to enhance multilateral sanctions exemptions and streamline humanitarian travel authorizations.