[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 33 (Thursday, March 17, 2005)]
[Senate]
[Pages S2910-S2911]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  CONDEMNING VIOLENCE BY THE IRISH REPUBLICAN ARMY IN NORTHERN IRELAND

  Mr. KENNEDY. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate 
proceed to the immediate consideration of S. Res. 84, submitted earlier 
today by myself, Senator McCain, Senator Dodd, and others.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the resolution by title.
  The legislative clerk read as follows:

       A resolution (S. Res. 84) condemning violence and 
     criminality by the Irish Republican Army in Northern Ireland.

  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the 
resolution.
  Mr. GREGG. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent to be added as a 
cosponsor of the resolution.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  Mr. KENNEDY. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the 
resolution and preamble be agreed to en bloc, the motion to reconsider 
be laid upon the table, and that any statements relating thereto be 
printed in the Record, without intervening action or debate.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The resolution (S. Res. 84) was agreed to.
  The preamble was agreed to.
  The resolution, with its preamble, reads as follows:

                               S. Res. 84

       Whereas on January 30, 2005, a Catholic citizen of Belfast, 
     Northern Ireland, Robert McCartney, was brutally murdered by 
     members of the Irish Republican Army, who attempted to cover-
     up the crime and ordered all witnesses to be silent about the 
     involvement of Irish Republican Army members;
       Whereas the sisters of Robert McCartney, Catherine 
     McCartney, Paula Arnold, Gemma McMacken, Claire McCartney, 
     and Donna Mary McCartney, and his fiancee, Bridgeen Karen 
     Hagans, refused to accept the code of silence and have 
     bravely challenged the Irish Republican Army by demanding 
     justice for the murder of Robert McCartney;
       Whereas when outcry over the murder increased, the Irish 
     Republican Army expelled 3 members, and 7 members of Sinn 
     Fein, the political wing of the Irish Republican Army, were 
     suspended from the party;
       Whereas the leadership of Sinn Fein has called for justice, 
     but has not called on those responsible for the murder or any 
     of those

[[Page S2911]]

     who witnessed the murder to cooperate directly with the 
     Police Service of Northern Ireland;
       Whereas on March 8, 2005, the Irish Republican Army issued 
     an outrageous statement in which it said it ``was willing to 
     shoot the killers of Robert McCartney''; and
       Whereas peace and violence cannot coexist in Northern 
     Ireland: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That--
       (1) the Senate joins the people of the United States in 
     deploring and condemning violence and criminality by the 
     Irish Republican Army in Northern Ireland; and
       (2) it is the sense of the Senate that--
       (A) the sisters and fiancee of Robert McCartney deserve the 
     full support of the United States in their pursuit of 
     justice;
       (B) the leadership of Sinn Fein should insist that those 
     responsible for the murder and witnesses to the murder 
     cooperate directly with the Police Service of Northern 
     Ireland and be protected fully from any retaliation by the 
     Irish Republican Army; and
       (C) the Government of the United States should offer all 
     appropriate assistance to law enforcement authorities in 
     Northern Ireland to see that the murderers of Robert 
     McCartney are brought to justice.

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