[Congressional Bills 106th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 128 Introduced in House (IH)]







106th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 128

Concerning paramilitary groups and British security forces in Northern 
                                Ireland.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            January 6, 1999

  Mr. Engel introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
                  Committee on International Relations

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
Concerning paramilitary groups and British security forces in Northern 
                                Ireland.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. FINDINGS.

    The Congress finds that--
            (1) it is the policy of the United States Government to 
        promote peace and reconciliation between Northern Ireland and 
        the Republic of Ireland in accordance with the Anglo-Irish 
        Accord of November 15, 1985;
            (2) the United States has sought through diplomacy and 
        economic support to foster this reconciliation process;
            (3) reports of collusion between United Kingdom security 
        forces and illegal paramilitary groups raise serious questions 
        about the respect for human rights of minorities in Northern 
        Ireland;
            (4) Amnesty International has repeatedly asked the British 
        Government to establish an independent judicial inquiry into 
        the procedures used to investigate killings by security forces 
        since 1980;
            (5) the Universal Declaration of Human Rights states that 
        all are equal before the law and are entitled without any 
        discrimination to equal protection under the law;
            (6) killings of civilians by paramilitary groups raise 
        serious concern for the respect for the rule of law in Northern 
        Ireland; and
            (7) the Republic of Ireland has expressed concern about the 
        links between paramilitary groups and security forces in 
        Northern Ireland.

SEC. 2. STATEMENTS OF POLICY.

    The Congress--
            (1) deplores all acts of violence directed at the civilian 
        population in Northern Ireland including extrajudicial 
        killings;
            (2) calls upon the President to urge the Government of the 
        United Kingdom--
                    (A) to take immediate measures to halt all 
                cooperation with the Ulster Freedom Fighters, the 
                Ulster Volunteer Force, the Ulster Defense Association, 
                and any other paramilitary organization or militia 
                which is not officially sanctioned to maintain law and 
                order; and
                    (B) to establish an independent judicial inquiry 
                into the killing of civilians by security forces since 
                1980; and
            (3) calls upon the President to communicate to the highest 
        levels of the Government of the United Kingdom grave concern 
        about the United Kingdom's policy of resuming military service 
        of soldiers who have been convicted of serious crimes related 
        to the administration of justice in Northern Ireland.

SEC. 3. BAN ON SALES OF MILITARY AND LAW ENFORCEMENT ITEMS TO THE ROYAL 
              ULSTER CONSTABULARY, THE ULSTER DEFENSE REGIMENT, THE 
              ROYAL IRISH REGIMENT, AND CERTAIN OTHER ORGANIZATIONS.

    (a) Government-to-Government Military Sales.--Defense articles may 
not be sold under the Arms Export Control Act to or for any 
organization specified in subsection (d).
    (b) Commercial Military Sales.--A license may not be issued under 
section 36(c) of the Arms Export Control Act for the export of any 
defense article for use by any organization specified in subsection 
(d).
    (c) Law Enforcement Equipment.--Items designated as crime control 
and detection instruments and equipment for purposes of section 6(n) of 
the Export Administration Act of 1979 may not be exported for use by 
any organization specified in subsection (d).
    (d) Ineligible Organizations.--Subsections (a), (b), and (c) apply 
with respect to the Royal Ulster Constabulary, the Ulster Defense 
Regiment, the Royal Irish Regiment, and any other organization in which 
anyone who previously was a member of the Royal Ulster Constabulary, 
the Ulster Defense Regiment, the Royal Irish Regiment, the Ulster 
Freedom Fighters, the Ulster Volunteer Force, the Ulster Defense 
Association, or any other paramilitary association is a member.

SEC. 4. REPORT ON BRITISH COOPERATION WITH PARAMILITARY GROUPS IN 
              NORTHERN IRELAND.

    Not later than 90 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the 
Secretary of State shall submit to the Committee on International 
Relations of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Foreign 
Relations of the Senate a report, in both classified and unclassified 
form, on cooperation between United Kingdom security forces and 
militias and paramilitary groups in Northern Ireland.
                                 <all>