Congresswoman submits House resolution honoring late US politician's Korea alliance contributions

In this Oct. 15, 2009 file photo, House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Rep. Charles Rangel, D-N.Y. is seen on Capitol Hill in Washington. AP-Yonhap

WASHINGTON — A U.S. lawmaker has submitted a House resolution honoring a late U.S. politician's congressional legacy, including his "enduring" contribution to the South Korea-U.S. alliance, Congress' website showed Friday.

Rep. Grace Meng (D-NY) introduced the resolution on Thursday to commemorate the life, military service and legacy of former Rep. Charles Rangel, a decorated Korean War veteran and longtime supporter of South Korea. Rangel passed away in May last year.

The text of the resolution was not immediately available.

Cosponsors of the resolution include Reps. Rep. Thomas Suozzi (D-NY), Gregory Meeks (D-NY), Dave Min (D-CA), Marilyn Strickland (D-WA) and Frederica Wilson (D-FL).

An influential representative from New York from 1971 to 2017, Rangel, a Democrat, played a key role in legislative efforts on an array of Korea-related issues, including encouraging peace and reunification on the Korean Peninsula, as well as supporting reunions of divided Korean American families and Korean War veterans.

Rangel was a founding member of the Congressional Korea Caucus, a group of lawmakers supportive of Korea. He chaired the powerful House Ways and Means Committee from 2007-2010 as the first African American to hold that position in Congress.