Susan E. Rice UN Resolution 1874 North Korea VIDEO

Unitrd Nations Media Stakeout: Informal comments to the Media by the Permanent Representative of the United States of America, H.E. Ms. Susan E. Rice, in connection with Non-proliferation, Democratic People's Republic of Korea. FULL STREAMING VIDEO [Webcast: Archived Video - 9 minutes ]

Explanation of Vote by Ambassador Rosemary DiCarlo, U.S. Alternate Representative for Special Political Affairs on Security Council Resolution 1874 on North Korea, June 12, 2009

Thank you, Mr. President.

The United States welcomes the unanimous adoption of Resolution 1874. This resolution provides a strong and united international response to North Korea’s test of a nuclear device.

The message of this resolution is clear: North Korea’s behavior is unacceptable to the international community, and the international community is determined to respond. North Korea should return without conditions to a process of peaceful dialogue. It should honor its previous commitments to denuclearize the Korean Peninsula. It should shun provocation and proliferation. But for now, its choices have led it to face markedly stronger sanctions from the international community.

This resolution condemns North Korea’s nuclear test in the strongest terms. It strengthens and enhances sanctions on North Korea in five critically important areas: by imposing a total embargo on arms exports from North Korea and significantly expanding the ban on arms imports; by creating a wholly new framework for states to cooperate in the inspection of ships and aircraft suspected to be carrying weapons of mass destruction or other banned goods; by calling on states and international financial institutions to disrupt the flow of funds that could support North Korea’s missile, nuclear, or proliferation activities; by committing to designate for targeted sanctions additional goods, entities, and individuals involved in North Korea’s illicit behavior; and, finally, by strengthening the mechanisms to monitor and tighten the implementation of this toughened new sanctions regime. These measures are innovative, they are robust, and they are unprecedented.

Mr. President, North Korea chose a path of provocation. As President Obama has said, actions must have consequences. Resolution 1874 has seen to it that they do. This resolution will give us new tools to impair North Korea’s ability to proliferate and threaten international stability. We are particularly grateful to our colleagues on the Council, who have come together to help adopt this resolution; we thank them for their tremendous hard work in this process, for their good effort, and for their goodwill.

Above all, Mr. President, Resolution 1874 reflects the resolve of the international community and the Security Council, which has spoken with one voice. The United States stands firmly behind these provisions and is committing to ensuring its implementation.

Thank you, Mr. President.

USUN PRESS RELEASE # 124(09) June 12, 2009 AS DELIVERED. Office of Press and Public Diplomacy. United States Mission to the United Nations. 140 East 45th Street. New York, N.Y. 10017

Republican American Energy Act (alternative energy) VIDEO TEXT

The American Energy Solutions Group (AESG) and House Republican Leadership promoted their alternative to the energy bill passed by the House Energy & Commerce Committee on May 21. GOP House members call the bill's carbon emissions "cap-and-trade" program a "national energy tax."

The American Energy Act, An “All-of-the-Above” Solution for Energy Independence

• Increase production of American-made energy in an environmentally-sound manner.
• Promote new, clean and renewable sources of energy such as nuclear, clean-coal-technology, wind and solar energy.
• Encourage greater efficiency and conservation by extending tax incentives for energy efficiency and rewarding development of greater conservation techniques and new energy sources.
• Cut red-tape and reduce frivolous litigation.

The American Energy Act is an “all-of-the-above” solution that offers more affordable energy, more well-paying jobs, energy independence, and a cleaner environment.

New and Expanded Technologies: The bill creates a Renewable and Alternative Energy Trust Fund to provide funding for energy programs authorized by federal law, such as biomass, hydroelectric, clean coal, solar, wind, geothermal and other forms of renewable energy. The fund will encourage the development of renewable, alternative and unconventional fuels, and new energy sources, using receipts from the new federal and oil gas leasing in the Arctic Coastal Plain and the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS).

Alternative Fuels: The bill spurs the development of America’s alternative fuels by repealing the “Section 526” prohibition on government purchasing fuels derived from sources such as oil shale, tar sands and coal-to liquid technology. The bill also encourages the use of clean coal-to-liquid technology by allowing federal agencies to enter into long-term contracts to buy coal-derived fuel and by authorizing the Secretary of Energy to enter into loan agreements with coal-to-liquid projects.

Tax Provisions for New and Expanding Technology: The bill encourages new and expanding energy technologies by making permanent tax credits for the production of renewable electricity, like wind, solar, and biomass. The bill also makes permanent investment tax credits for solar energy and for fuel cell properties and extends the biodiesel and renewable diesel tax credits.

American Energy Act IN PDF Format:

• FULL BILL TEXT
• 2 PAGE SUMMARY
• FULL SUMMARY