[Congressional Bills 108th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1208 Introduced in House (IH)]






108th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 1208

 To authorize appropriations for fiscal years 2004 and 2005 for United 
  States contributions to the International Fund for Ireland, and for 
                            other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             March 11, 2003

      Mr. Smith of New Jersey (for himself, Mr. Hyde, Mr. Neal of 
 Massachusetts, Mr. King of New York, Mr. Crowley, Mr. Walsh, and Mr. 
    Payne) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
                  Committee on International Relations

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To authorize appropriations for fiscal years 2004 and 2005 for United 
  States contributions to the International Fund for Ireland, and for 
                            other purposes.

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

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Northern Ireland Peace and 
Reconciliation Support Act of 2003''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS; SENSE OF CONGRESS.

    (a) Findings.--Congress finds the following:
            (1) The United States has been effectively engaged in the 
        Northern Ireland peace process through both participating in 
        negotiations and contributing to the economic development of 
        the region.
            (2) Both the Government of Ireland and the Irish people and 
        the Government of the United Kingdom and the British people are 
        long-standing friends of the United States and the American 
        people.
            (3) In 1986, the United States, in support of the Agreement 
        Between the Government of Ireland and the Government of the 
        United Kingdom (``Anglo-Irish Agreement'') dated November 15, 
        1985, initiated annual contributions to the International Fund 
        for Ireland (``International Fund'') to help bolster economic 
        development and support programs that would foster peace and 
        reconciliation in Northern Ireland and the affected border 
        areas of the Republic of Ireland.
            (4) The United States has been a generous and faithful 
        donor to the International Fund, contributing more than 
        $386,000,000 to help improve relations between Catholics and 
        Protestants in Northern Ireland through the creation of 
        thousands of jobs and cross community business development.
            (5) More than 80 percent of the International Fund's 
        investments have been in disadvantaged areas offering work 
        experience and important job training programs for 
        disadvantaged and unemployed youth through the economic, 
        social, and physical regeneration of deprived areas.
            (6) The International Fund has also developed a series of 
        community-building programs promoting greater dialogue and 
        understanding between Catholics and Protestants and leadership 
        programs designed to develop a new generation of leaders in 
        Northern Ireland to bring about a more peaceful and prosperous 
        future in the region.
            (7) Through the Anglo-Irish Agreement Support Act of 1986 
        (Public Law 99-415), the United States also seeks to ensure 
        that its contributions promote ``reconciliation in Northern 
        Ireland and the establishment of a society in Northern Ireland 
        in which all may live in peace, free from discrimination, 
        terrorism, and intolerance, and with the opportunity for both 
        communities to participate fully in the structures and 
        processes of government.''.
            (8) The Good Friday Agreement reached by the Government of 
        Ireland, the Government of the United Kingdom, and political 
        party leaders on April 10, 1998, created the Northern Ireland 
        Executive Assembly and Executive Committee and provided for a 
        ``democratically elected Assembly in Northern Ireland which is 
        inclusive in its membership, capable of exercising executive 
        and legislative authority, and subject to safeguards to protect 
        the rights and interests of all sides of the community.''.
            (9) The Good Friday Agreement also called for police reform 
        and establishment of a ``new beginning'' in policing in 
        Northern Ireland with an effective, accountable, and fair 
        police service capable of attracting and sustaining support 
        from the community as a whole, capable of maintaining law and 
        order, and based on principles of protection of human rights.
            (10) In 1999, the Independent Commission on Policing in 
        Northern Ireland, mandated by the Good Friday Agreement, made 
        175 recommendations for policing reform in Northern Ireland, 
        some of which have been implemented.
            (11) In 2002, the Department of State, as required by 
        section 701(d) of the Foreign Relations Authorization Act, 
        Fiscal Year 2003 (Public Law 107-228), issued a ``Report on 
        Policing Reform and Human Rights in Northern Ireland'' and 
        concluded that among key areas of concern that had not been 
        fully implemented was the establishment of a critically-needed 
        new police training facility and an increase in funding for 
        training programs.
    (b) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that--
            (1) United States assistance for the International Fund has 
        contributed greatly to the economic development of Northern 
        Ireland and that both objectives of the Anglo-Irish Agreement 
        Support Act of 1986, economic development and reconciliation, 
        remain critical to achieving a just and lasting peace in the 
        region, especially in the economically-depressed areas;
            (2) although there has been positive economic development 
        in both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland, 
        International Fund contributions to support much-needed 
        projects in economically-depressed areas of Northern Ireland 
        remain very important, and an expansion of efforts in 
        reconciliation projects as a way to promote peace and economic 
        stability is also encouraged; and
            (3) since policing reform is a significant part of winning 
        public confidence and acceptance in the new form of government 
        in Northern Ireland, the International Fund is encouraged to 
        support programs that enhance relations between communities, 
        and between the police and the communities they serve, promote 
        human rights training for police, and enhance peaceful 
        mediation in neighborhoods of continued conflict.

SEC. 3. AMENDMENTS TO THE ANGLO-IRISH AGREEMENT SUPPORT ACT OF 1986.

    (a) Findings and Purposes.--Section 2(b) of the Anglo-Irish 
Agreement Support Act of 1986 is amended by adding at the end the 
following: ``Furthermore, the International Fund is encouraged to 
support programs that enhance relations between communities, and 
between the police and the communities they serve, promote human rights 
training for police, enhance peaceful mediation in neighborhoods of 
continued conflict, and promote training programs to enhance the new 
district partnership police boards recommended by the Patten 
Commission.''.
    (b) United States Contributions to the International Fund.--Section 
3 of the Anglo-Irish Agreement Support Act of 1986 is amended by adding 
at the end the following:
    ``(c) Fiscal Years 2004 and 2005.--Of the amounts made available 
for fiscal years 2004 and 2005 to carry out chapter 4 of part II of the 
Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (relating to the economic support fund), 
there are authorized to be appropriated $25,000,000 for each such 
fiscal year for United States contributions to the International Fund. 
Amounts appropriated pursuant to the authorization of appropriations 
under the preceding sentence are authorized to remain available until 
expended. Of the amount authorized to be appropriated for fiscal years 
2004 and 2005 under this subsection, it is the sense of Congress that 
not less than 20 percent of such amount for each such fiscal year 
should be used to carry out the last sentence of section 2(b).''.
    (c) Annual Reports.--Section 6(1) of the Anglo-Irish Agreement 
Support Act of 1986 is amended by adding at the end before the 
semicolon the following: ``, specifically through improving local 
community relations and relations between the police and the people 
they serve''.
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