Both of Maine’s congressional representatives voted recently to call North Korea a state sponsor of terrorism.

North Korea was taken off the list of terrorism sponsors in the final year of President George W. Bush’s administration as part of a deal to try to improve relations, a move that lifted some sanctions against the country.

U.S. Rep. Bruce Poliquin, a 2nd District Republican, said North Korea no longer deserves to remain off the list.

“It has shown through its cyber attacks, provocative missile tests aimed toward neighbors, and previous support of terrorists that it cannot be trusted,” the second-term congressman said in a Facebook post.

“The Bush administration got empty promises in return for these terrible concessions, while the Obama administration couldn’t even get empty promises,” U.S. Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, R-Fla. told colleagues.

“Listing North Korea once again as a state sponsor of terrorism will allow additional sanctions against the regime,” Poliquin said. “North Korea poses a serious threat to world peace.”

“The state sponsor of terrorism label is a very powerful one,” U.S. Rep. Ed Royce, R-Calif., said on the House floor. “In addition to imposing sanctions and other restrictions, the designation itself earns a state pariah status internationally. And that is deserved. After all, these are countries whose governments backed the killings of innocent people, innocent civilians, as a matter of policy.”

U.S. Rep. Chellie Pingree, a 1st District Democrat, also voted for the measure, which passed the House with only one opponent. The Senate hasn’t taken up the bill yet.

U.S. Reps. Chellie Pingree, D-1st Maine, and Bruce Poliquin, R-2nd Maine.