[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 1 (Tuesday, January 7, 1997)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E24]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       MAC BRIDE PRINCIPLES BILL

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. BENJAMIN A. GILMAN

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, January 7, 1997

  Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to introduce the Federal 
MacBride Principles bill. I am pleased once again to be joined by my 
distinguished colleague and Ad Hoc Committee for Irish Affairs co-
chair, Mr. Manton of New York, as an original cosponsor of this 
important bipartisan antidiscrimination measure dealing with employment 
practices in Northern Ireland.
  Fair employment for Catholics in Northern Ireland is an issue that 
has for many years concerned me, as well as millions of Irish here in 
America, and all around the globe.
  I was very pleased in the 104th Congress to not only hold 
congressional hearings on this subject matter, but to also lead the 
effort for the first ever congressional passage of the MacBride Fair 
Employment Principles as part of our United States taxpayer 
contribution to the International Fund for Ireland [IFI].
  This bill, which we introduce today, incorporates all of the minor 
changes we made in the MacBride Principles, i.e., principles of 
economic justice as defined and passed by the last Congress as part of 
the U.S. contribution to the IFI in the foreign aid bill I referenced 
earlier. The MacBride Principles have not been changed in any 
substantive way.
  We must treat equally those who would receive any United States 
foreign assistance, the very same as we do United States employers 
doing business in Northern Ireland. The changes made in the Federal 
MacBride bill I am introducing today governing these United States 
employers doing business there, will also serve to make our approach to 
both recipients of foreign aid and United States employers doing 
business in Northern Ireland, totally consistent, and identical, as 
well.
  Our bill would prohibit all United States companies in Northern 
Ireland from exporting their products back to the United States, unless 
they are in compliance with these simply straightforward MacBride 
Principles intended to deal with, and help promote economic justice in 
the north of Ireland. These principles serve as a set of guidelines for 
fair employment by establishing a code of corporate conduct, which 
explicitly does not require quotas, or any form of reverse 
discrimination.
  The MacBride Principles campaign has been the most effective and 
meaningful effort by Irish America, and their many allies around the 
world, against the systemic and longstanding anti-Catholic 
discrimination in employment practices in Northern Ireland. I have been 
pleased to work with the Irish National Caucus, and AOH, and other 
outstanding Irish-American groups, and the American labor movement, in 
this very important cause.
  The MacBride effort has played a vital role in keeping the issue of 
anti-Catholic discrimination in Northern Ireland visible and in the 
public eye, including as part of any United States foreign assistance 
to Northern Ireland. The initial campaign was instrumental in bringing 
about the British Government's Fair Employment Act of 1989.
  Much more still needs to be done to address a serious and continuing 
problem in Northern Ireland, where Catholics are still twice as likely 
to be unemployed as that of their Protestant counterparts. This is 
unfair and must change if lasting peace and justice are ever to take 
hold in Northern Ireland.
  The bill we are introducing today will help bring about much needed 
additional change, at least as to employment practices of the many 
United States firms doing business in the north of Ireland today.
  The MacBride Principles have the support of many in the Irish 
Government, the European Parliament, and both major political parties 
here in the United States we are also pleased to see this same support 
for MacBride included for the first time ever in both major political 
party platforms this past presidential election year here in the United 
States.
  Mr. Clinton as a candidate pledged during the 1992 Presidential 
campaign that he would support the MacBride Principles. However, during 
the 104th Congress he forgot that pledge while his administration 
fought from the outset my efforts at inclusion of the MacBride 
Principles are part of the U.S. contribution to the IFI in the foreign 
aid bill.
  The President says he continues to support the MacBride Principles. 
These principles have been passed into law in 16 States, including our 
own State of New York. Many American cities and towns have also passed 
laws or resolutions on the principles. Indeed, the U.S. Congress 
allowed the principles to become law for the District of Columbia on 
March 16, 1993; and we passed them last year as part of the foreign aid 
authorization bill, but regret some we were not able to overcome the 
President's veto of this bill, and make them law.
  The President after his veto of the foreign aid bill during the 104th 
Congress, ordered his U.S. Agency for International Development 
Administrator Brian Atwood, and our U.S. observer to to the IFI to work 
to ensure that the IFI complied as least as to the U.S. contribution, 
with our provisions included as part of the foreign aid bill (H.R. 
1561). His move represented some progress, but we must do more, and 
codify these principles into law. We would welcome the President's 
support for these efforts.
  We must be all we can to help address and bring focus to hear on the 
twin problems of unemployment and discrimination, especially in the 
Catholic community in Northern Ireland. The U.S. can help pay a 
important role in the chances for lasting peace and justice in Northern 
Ireland by working to ensure that Northern Ireland had shared economic 
development and provides for economic justice among both traditions.
  Only then can peace and justice take firm and lasting hold in 
Northern Ireland. The Macbride Principles provide a vital tool to help 
ensure that the United States neither accepts nor in any way helps 
maintain the totally unacceptable status quo of twice the level of 
Catholic unemployment as that of the other tradition which still exists 
in Northern Ireland today.
  Accordingly, I urge all my colleagues concerned about lasting peace 
and justice in Northern Ireland to support this bill we are introducing 
today.

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