[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 155 (Friday, November 7, 1997)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E2205-E2206]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




     MacBRIDE PRINCIPLES OF ECONOMIC JUSTICE ACT OF 1997, H.R. 2833

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. BENJAMIN A. GILMAN

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, November 6, 1997

  Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, today, I am pleased to introduce along with 
Speaker Gingrich, the Federal MacBride principles bill, H.R. 2833 a 
very important anti-discrimination measure dealing with employment 
practices in Northern Ireland. This bill includes these important 
employment requirements as conditions for receipt by any grantee of 
U.S. taxpayer contributions to the International Fund for Ireland 
[IFI].

[[Page E2206]]

  Fair employment for Catholics in Northern Ireland is an issue that 
for many ears has concerned me, as well as millions of Irish here in 
America, and all around the globe.
  I was pleased in the 104th Congress to not only hold congressional 
hearings on this subject matter in our International Relations 
Committee, but also to lead the effort for the first ever congressional 
passage of these same MacBride fair employment principles as part of 
our U.S. contribution to the IFI.
  This bill, which we introduce today, incorporates all of the changes 
made in the MacBride principles, that is, 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 authorization bill. 
Recently, that bill was vetoed for other unrelated reasons, and the 
MacBride principles never became law. We have yet another chance with 
this new bill to make these principles the law of the land.
  Earlier this year the House again passed similar language when the 
State Department authorization bill was before this body.
  The purpose of the bill is not complex. It treats those in Northern 
Ireland who would receive any United States foreign taxpayer 
assistance, the very same as the many United States employers doing 
business in Northern Ireland. Today, many of these American firms there 
in the north of Ireland voluntarily comply with the MacBride fair 
employment principles. In fact, the record for those complying 
companies has been one of substantial increased investment there.
  These principles serve as a set of guidelines for fair employment by 
establishing a code of corporate conduct, which explicitly does not 
require quotas, nor any form of reverse discrimination.
  These fair employment principles have been endorsed by both political 
parties during the last Presidential campaign in their party platforms, 
and have wide bi-partisan support here in the Congress.
  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 long-standing anti-Catholic 
discrimination in employment practices in Northern Ireland.
  I have long been pleased to work with the Irish National Caucus, the 
AOH, and other outstanding Irish-American groups, and the American 
labor movement, in this very important cause.
  Much more still needs to be done to address a serious, 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 sustained peace and justice are ever to take 
a firm and lasting hold in Northern Ireland. No United States tax 
dollars ought to go to Northern Ireland to help maintain this clearly 
unsatisfactory ``status quo''. Our bill helps ensures that will not 
occur.
  Support for these fair employment principles has been passed into law 
in 16 States, including my 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 support for the principles to 
become law for the District of Columbia on March 16, 1993.
  We must do more, and codify these principles into Federal law this 
year, especially as they concern U.S. Foreign assistance.
  Accordingly, urge our colleagues concerned about lasting peace and 
justice in Northern Ireland to support the bill which, the Speaker and 
I have introduced here today.

                               H.R. 2833

       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 ``MacBride Principles of 
     Economic Justice Act of 1997''.

     SECTION 2. AMENDMENTS TO ANGLO-IRISH AGREEMENT SUPPORT ACT OF 
                   1986.

       (a) In General.--
       (1) Purposes.--Section 2(b) of the Anglo-Irish Agreement 
     Support Act of 1986 (Public Law 99-415; 100 Stat. 947) is 
     amended by adding at the end the following new sentences: 
     ``United States contributions should be used in a manner that 
     effectively increases employment opportunities in communities 
     with rates of unemployment significantly higher than the 
     local or urban average of unemployment in Northern Ireland. 
     In addition, such contributions should be used to benefit 
     individuals residing in such communities.''.
       (2) Conditions and understanding.--Section 5(a) of such Act 
     is amended--
       (A) in the first sentence--
       (i) by striking ``The United States'' and inserting the 
     following:
       ``(1) In general.--The United States'';
       (ii) by striking ``in this Act may be used'' and inserting 
     the following: ``in this Act--
       ``(A) may be used'''
       (iii) by striking the period and inserting ``; and''; and
       (iv) by adding at the end the following:
       ``(B) should be provided to individuals or entities in 
     Northern Ireland which employ practices consistent with the 
     principles of economic justice.''; and
       (B) in the second sentence, by striking ``The 
     restrictions'' and inserting the following:
       ``(2) Additional requirements.--The restrictions''.
       (3) Prior certifications.--Section 5(c)(2) of such Act is 
     amended--
       (A) in subparagraph (A), by striking ``in accordance with 
     the principle of equality'' and all that follows and 
     inserting ``to individuals and entities whose practices are 
     consistent with principles of economic justice; and''; and
       (B) in subparagraph (B), by inserting before the period at 
     the end the following: ``and will create employment 
     opportunities in regions and communities of Northern Ireland 
     suffering from high rates of unemployment''.
       (4) Annual reports.--Section 6 of such Act is amended--
       (A) in paragraph (2), by striking ``and'' at the end;
       (B) in paragraph (3), by striking the period and inserting 
     ``; and''; and
       (C) by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
       ``(4) the extent to which the practices of each individual 
     or entity receiving assistance from United States 
     contributions to the International Fund has been consistent 
     with the principles of economic justice.''.
       (5) Requirements relating to funds.--Section 7 of such Act 
     is amended by adding at the end the following:
       ``(c) Prohibition.--Nothing included herein shall require 
     quotas or reverse discrimination or mandate their use.''.
       (6) Definitions,--Section 8 of such Act is amended--
       (A) in paragraph (1), by striking ``and'' at the end;
       (B) in paragraph (2), by striking the period at the end and 
     inserting ``; and ''; and
       (C) by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
       ``(3) the term `principles of economic justice` means the 
     following principles:
       ``(A) Increasing the representation of individuals from 
     underrepresented religious groups in the workforce, including 
     managerial, supervisory, administrative, clerical, and 
     technical jobs.
       ``(B) Providing adequate security for the protection of 
     minority employees at the workplace.
       ``(C) Banning provocative sectarian or political emblems 
     from the workplace.
       ``(D) Providing that all job openings be advertised 
     publicly and providing that special recruitment efforts to 
     made to attract applicants from underrepresented religious 
     groups.
       ``(E) Providing that layoff, recall, and termination 
     procedures do not favor a particular religious group.
       ``(F) Abolishing job reservations, apprenticeship 
     restrictions, and differential employment criteria which 
     discrimination on the basis of religion.
       ``(G) Providing for the development of training programs 
     that will prepare substantial numbers of minority employees 
     for skilled jobs, including the expansion of existing 
     programs and the creation of new programs to train, upgrade, 
     and improve the skills of minority employees.
       ``(H) Establishing procedures to assess, identify, and 
     actively recruit minority employees with the potential for 
     further advancement.
       ``(I) Providing for the appointment of a senior management 
     staff member to be responsible for the employment efforts of 
     the entity and, within a reasonable period of time, the 
     implementation of the principles described in subparagraphs 
     (A) and through (H).''.
       (b) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section 
     shall take effect 180 days after the date of the enactment of 
     this Act.

     

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