Wednesday: North Korea sanctions, water regulations

by Jordain Carney - 02/10/16 9:46 AM ET

The Senate will vote on new sanctions against North Korea after the country claimed earlier this year that it successfully tested a hydrogen bomb.

Senators are expected to take up legislation — which passed out of the Foreign Relations Committee late last month — and take a final vote after up to seven hours of debate.

{mosads}Unless senators yield back time to speed up the vote, a vote is expected around 5 p.m.

The legislation would go further than a House bill passed last month. The Senate legislation would require the Obama administration to sanction anyone involved with North Korea’s nuclear weapons program, arms-related materials, luxury goods, human rights abuses, activities that negatively impact cybersecurity and the use of coal or metals in any of the activities.

Penalties would include freezing assets under U.S. jurisdiction, banning individuals from traveling to the United States or blocking government contracts.

Meanwhile the House will take up legislation that would bolster the Environmental Protection Agency’s ability to notify consumers when the amount of lead in water exceeds federal standards.

The move comes after the Flint, Mich., drinking water crisis forced the issue under Congress’s spotlight. The Senate is still working to try to find a deal on aid for Flint, which has stalled a larger bipartisan energy bill.

Votes in the House are expected between 2 p.m. and 3 p.m. with final votes between 4:30 p.m. and 5:30 p.m.

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