Congressman Adam Smith (D-Wash.) today sent the following letter to President Bush urging the U.S. to begin bilateral talks with North Korea immediately.  Smith will work with colleagues in the coming days to pressure the administration to pursue a multilateral diplomatic approach to the situation in the Korean peninsula.

March 17, 2003

President George W. Bush
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W.
Washington, DC  20500

Dear Mr. President:

I am writing to express my deep concern over the failure of this Administration to effectively address the growing crisis involving North Korea.   This situation impacts the entire region – and indeed, the rest of the global community – and American leadership is needed to break the current diplomatic stalemate.

While I recognize that there are perhaps no good options with respect to managing this crisis, starting bilateral talks is the best policy at this time.  The current policy of doing nothing is leading us into an increasingly dangerous situation.

Since acknowledging the existence of their nuclear program last fall, North Korea has grown increasingly bellicose and unpredictable.  They apparently removed from the Yongbyon reactor spent nuclear fuel rods which, if reprocessed, could yield enough plutonium for as many as six nuclear weapons.  They have announced an intention to withdraw from the Nonproliferation Treaty, expelled International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) inspectors, removed IAEA safeguards and disabled monitoring equipment at the Yongbyon facility.  Recently, North Korean fighters have engaged American surveillance aircraft in international airspace.  Further, North Korea’s failing economy, large conventional forces and growing proliferation of chemical and biological weapons pose a grave threat to international stability.

Based on recent official statements, it is clear that the Administration remains unwilling to marshal the appropriate diplomatic resources and engage in a direct dialogue with North Korea.  This is not a tenable strategy.  I strongly urge you to appoint a high level envoy charged with engaging in high level, direct dialogue with North Korea.  This person should also be responsible for working with South Korea, Japan, Russia, China and other nations that have influence over North Korea - or a stake in resolving North Korea's nuclear status diplomatically.  At the very least, the Secretary of State and National Security Advisor must aggressively develop a short term strategy for engaging North Korea.

Talks should begin immediately.   We should not simply stand aside while a dangerous and unpredictable dictator builds nuclear weapons.  The risk involved in allowing this to happen far outweighs the problems of agreeing to bilateral talks with North Korea. 

I request that you inform the Congress of your plans to resolve the crisis in North Korea as soon as possible.

Thank you for your consideration, and I look forward to your response.

                                                                        Sincerely,
                                                                        Adam Smith
                                                                        Member of Congress

Over the last four months, Congressman Adam Smith (D-Tacoma) has reorganized positions in his offices and welcomed some new staffers. 

In Washington, D.C.:

• John Loy has assumed the mantle of Legislative Assistant covering energy, environment, education, government affairs, women, families and children.  Prior to his promotion, Loy served as staff assistant for Smith.  He graduated in 2000 from the University of Virginia with a B.S. in Commerce and a minor in French. 
• Taking on the position of Legislative Assistant for labor, health care, Social Security and pensions, transportation and veterans is Milton Reimers who has been with Smith for five years in Tacoma as a Field Representative handling military, vets, transportation, labor, environment and maritime.   Reimers is a graduate of the University of Washington. 
• Smith’s new Scheduler is Kate Gibbons of Spokane.  She graduated from Washington State University in 2001 and most recently worked for Congressman Rick Larsen as Staff Assistant. 
• Mark de la Iglesia joins the D.C. office as the new Staff Assistant.  He hails from Federal Way and graduated from Northwestern University in 2002.  Prior to joining Smith’s office, he worked for four months as a research intern at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in the Americas Program. 
• Also, with Smith’s recent appointment to the House Committee on International Affairs, Legislative Director John Mulligan will add work related to that Committee to his portfolio of technology, science, foreign affairs, military and House Armed Services Committee work. 

In Tacoma:

• In the fall, Jordan Triplett made the move from Legislative Assistant in D.C. to serve as the Field Representative in charge of environment and energy, transportation, K-12 education, women’s issues, children’s issues, Social Service groups, minority communities, arts and humanities and tribes.  Triplett will also serve as the liaison with King County cities and elected officials.  Triplett was previously Smith’s Legislative Assistant for many of those issues, before that a Legislative Correspondent and began as a Staff Assistant in his office in 1999 after graduating from University of Washington. 
• Chelsea Mason rejoins the office, this time in Tacoma, after working as Field Director on his 2002 re-election campaign.  She is now the Field Representative in charge of outreach to the labor community and managing the “Bringing Congress to Your Door” program.  Before working on Smith’s campaign in 2002, Mason interned in the D.C. office for three years while she attended George Washington University. 
• Tina Johnson is the new Constituent Services Representative and Grants Coordinator for Smith.  She joins Team Smith after her most recent experience working as the Gifts and Grants Coordinator of Pt Defiance Zoological Society.  She’s lived in Edgewood since 1989 and has a wealth of experience with non-profit organizations in the Puget Sound region. 
• The district office’s new Office Assistant is Lakewood resident Joseph Hooks.  Before joining Smith’s office, he worked for Thompson Consulting Group, Norm Dicks Campaign, and Harold Moss, Chairman of the Pierce County Council.  Currently finishing his degree at Evergreen College, Hooks sits on the Urban League Board of Directors and was appointed by the Tacoma City Council to the board of Tacoma Reads Together.
• Returning to the Tacoma office, after a stint as the 2002 Campaign Director, is Sean Eagan.  He has been promoted to Deputy District Director and will direct outreach to seniors, military, veterans, health care, law and crime, financial services groups and housing and will also serve as the liaison with Thurston County cities and elected officials.