[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 18 (Tuesday, January 30, 2007)]
[House]
[Pages H1000-H1004]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
CALLING ON THE GOVERNMENT OF THE UNITED KINGDOM TO ESTABLISH A PUBLIC
JUDICIAL INQUIRY INTO THE MURDER OF NORTHERN IRELAND DEFENSE ATTORNEY
PATRICK FINUCANE
Mr. LANTOS. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to
the concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 20) calling on the Government
of the United Kingdom to immediately establish a full, independent, and
public judicial inquiry into the murder of Northern Ireland defense
attorney Patrick Finucane, as recommended by Judge Peter Cory as part
of the Weston Park Agreement, in order to move forward on the Northern
Ireland peace process, as amended.
The Clerk read as follows:
H. Con. Res. 20
Whereas human rights defense attorney and solicitor Patrick
Finucane was brutally murdered in front of his wife and
children at his home in Belfast on February 12, 1989;
Whereas many international bodies and nongovernmental human
rights organizations, including Amnesty International,
British Irish Rights Watch, the Committee for the
Administration of Justice, and Human Rights First, have
called attention to serious allegations of collusion between
loyalist paramilitaries and British security forces in the
murder of Mr. Finucane;
Whereas in July 2001 the Governments of Ireland and the
United Kingdom under terms of the Weston Park Agreement
appointed retired Canadian Judge Peter Cory to investigate
the allegations of collusion between loyalist paramilitaries
and British security forces in the murder of Mr. Finucane and
other individuals;
Whereas Judge Cory reported to the Governments of Ireland
and the United Kingdom in April 2004 that sufficient evidence
of collusion existed to warrant a full, independent, and
public judicial inquiry into the murder of Mr. Finucane and
recommended that a public inquiry take place without delay;
Whereas the Government of the United Kingdom in April 2005
adopted the Inquiries Act 2005 which empowers the Government
to block scrutiny of state actions and limits independent
action by the judiciary in inquiries held under its terms,
and, after the enactment of this legislation establishing new
limited inquiry procedures, the Government announced that an
inquiry into the murder of Mr. Finucane would be established
which would operate under terms of the new legislation;
Whereas Judge Cory, in a written statement presented to the
Committee on International Relations of the House of
Representatives in 2005, stated that his 2004 recommendation
for a public inquiry into the
[[Page H1001]]
murder of Mr. Finucane had ``contemplated a true public
inquiry constituted and acting pursuant to the provisions of
the 1921 Act'' (the Tribunals of Inquiry (Evidence) Act
1921), and also stated that ``it seems to me that the
proposed new Act would make a meaningful inquiry
impossible'';
Whereas the family of Mr. Finucane has rejected the limited
authority of an inquiry conducted under terms of the
Inquiries Act of 2005;
Whereas Amnesty International, British Irish Rights Watch,
the Committee for the Administration of Justice, and Human
Rights First have likewise rejected any proposed inquiry into
the murder of Mr. Finucane established under procedures of
the Inquiries Act of 2005 and have called for the repeal of
the Act;
Whereas the Dial Eireann (Parliament of Ireland) adopted a
resolution on March 8, 2006, calling for the establishment of
a full, independent, and public judicial inquiry into the
murder of Patrick Finucane;
Whereas the Foreign Relations Authorization Act, Fiscal
Year 2003 (Public Law 107-228) and House Resolution 128
(April 20, 1999) support the establishment of a full,
independent, and public judicial inquiry into the murder of
Patrick Finucane;
Whereas on May 18, 2006, the House of Representatives
overwhelmingly agreed to House Resolution 740, which declared
in part that the House of Representatives ``urges the
Government of the United Kingdom immediately to establish a
full, independent, and public judicial inquiry into the
murder of Patrick Finucane''; and
Whereas on January 22, 2007, the Police Ombudsman for
Northern Ireland released a comprehensive report which
confirms that police in Northern Ireland have colluded with
members of a loyalist paramilitary organization in specific
murders that took place over the last dozen years that the
Ombudsman investigated and that such collusion could not have
occurred ``without the knowledge and support of the highest
level'' of the Northern Ireland police: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate
concurring), That Congress--
(1) expresses to the family of Patrick Finucane deepest
condolences on his death, commends their steadfast pursuit of
justice in his brutal murder, and thanks his wife Geraldine
and son Michael for their willingness to testify on this
matter before committees of the House of Representatives on
numerous occasions;
(2) supports the efforts of the Administration in seeking
the full implementation of the Weston Park Agreement and the
establishment of a full, independent, and public judicial
inquiry into the murder of Patrick Finucane;
(3) calls on the Government of the United Kingdom to
reconsider its position on the matter of an inquiry into the
murder of Mr. Finucane, to amend the Inquiries Act of 2005,
and to take fully into account the objections of Judge Cory,
objections raised by officials of the United States
Government, other governments, and international bodies, and
the objections raised by Mr. Finucane's family; and
(4) urges the Government of the United Kingdom immediately
to establish a full, independent, and public judicial inquiry
into the murder of Patrick Finucane which would enjoy the
full cooperation and support of his family, the people of
Northern Ireland, and the international community as
recommended by Judge Cory.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
California (Mr. Lantos) and the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Smith)
each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from California.
General Leave
Mr. LANTOS. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members
may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and
include extraneous material on the resolution under consideration.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from California?
There was no objection.
Mr. LANTOS. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of this resolution. These are
promising times for Northern Ireland. Sinn Fein, the party linked to
the Irish Republican Army, has just voted to start cooperating with the
Northern Ireland police. With this action, Sinn Fein has abandoned
decades of opposition to law and order, and vastly improved the chances
of a Catholic-Protestant administration in Belfast before long.
{time} 1315
Yes, Madam Speaker, these are promising times for Northern Ireland.
But there are also reminders that the road to reconciliation remains
long and tortuous. Last week the Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland
released a comprehensive report confirming that police in Northern
Ireland have colluded with the loyalist paramilitaries over the last
dozen years, and that such collusion could not have occurred, and I
quote, ``without the knowledge and support of the highest level of the
Northern Ireland police.'' Such incidents must be thoroughly
investigated and their perpetrators caught.
Madam Speaker, February 12 marks the anniversary, 18 years ago, of
the tragic murder of Northern Ireland defense attorney Patrick
Finucane. He was brutally shot 14 times by masked men before his wife
and two young children in his North Belfast home.
He was a solicitor who represented republicans in many high profile
cases, most notably, IRA hunger striker, Bobby Sands. But he also acted
on behalf of loyalists.
A wide array of human rights groups alleged that his murder was at
the hands of loyalist paramilitaries, colluding with British security
officers of the Royal Ulster Constabulary Special Branch. The
paramilitaries later claimed that Mr. Finucane was killed because he
was a high-ranking officer in the provisional IRA. However, the police
indicated at his inquest that they had no evidence to support that
claim.
Canadian Judge Peter Cory was appointed by the governments of Ireland
and the United Kingdom to examine these allegations. In 2004, the
report came that sufficient evidence of collusion existed to warrant a
full, independent and public inquiry without delay.
Madam Speaker, in order to move the Irish peace process forward, the
resolution before us today calls on the Government of the United
Kingdom to conduct a full, independent and public judicial inquiry into
Mr. Finucane's murder, which will enjoy the full cooperation and
support of his family and the international community. The time to
bring justice and put an end to this tragic matter is long past due.
Again, I would like to thank our distinguished colleague, Mr. Chris
Smith of New Jersey, for his tireless pursuit of this most important
issue. Mr. Smith has been a long-time friend of Ireland, and his
dedication to this issue and to human rights across the globe is well
known and much admired by many, certainly including myself.
I want to thank the ranking member of the Foreign Affairs Committee,
Ms. Ros-Lehtinen, for her strong support for this measure.
I strongly support this legislation and encourage all of my
colleagues across the full spectrum to do so as well.
Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time
Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I
may consume.
Madam Speaker, let me at the outset thank Chairman Lantos for his
leadership on this issue in general, human rights. But also especially
in the case of Patrick Finucane, which so many of us have cared so
deeply about for so many years. He has been a great friend of Ireland
as well, and I want to thank him for that.
I also want to thank the original sponsors of this legislation,
including my good friends and colleagues, Mr. Engel, Mr. Walsh, Mr.
Neal, Mr. King, Mr. Payne, Mr. Garrett of New Jersey, Mr. Pallone, Mr.
Crowley, Mr. McNulty and Mr. Rothman and the many others who
cosponsored this truly bipartisan resolution.
H. Con. Res. 20, Madam Speaker, calls on the British Government to
live up to its commitment as part of the Northern Ireland peace process
to implement a public, independent judicial inquiry into the murder of
human rights attorney Patrick Finucane. Mr. Finucane, who represented
Catholics in Northern Ireland, was gunned down in his home in 1989 in
front of his wife and his children. I would note parenthetically his
wife was wounded as well.
For years, Madam Speaker, nongovernmental human rights organizations,
regional and very much renowned international legal experts, have
raised serious allegations that Mr. Finucane's murder resulted from
collusion between loyalist paramilitaries and British security forces.
In 2004, retired Canadian Supreme Court judge Peter Cory, who was
appointed by the governments of Ireland and the United Kingdom to
examine these allegations under the Weston
[[Page H1002]]
Park Agreement, reported that sufficient evidence of collusion existed
to warrant a full, independent and public judiciary inquiry without
delay.
Unfortunately, Madam Speaker, the British Government has yet to
comply.
Many of my colleagues know that as chairman of the Subcommittee on
Human Rights and as chairman of the Helsinki Commission I have held 11
hearings on the peace process in Northern Ireland. Central to each of
these hearings has been the ongoing concern about the human rights
abuses by members of the police service in Northern Ireland. The
Finucane family has testified. Judge Cory has testified. The U.N.
Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers has
testified, as well as many numerous human rights leaders. All have
advocated for a special investigation into the possibility of collusion
in the Finucane murder.
Beyond this, Madam Speaker, last year, the Irish Parliament passed a
resolution calling for an open and independent investigation. Our
special envoy, Ambassador Mitchell Reiss, has testified before our
committee that he and the Bush administration have urged for the
establishment of a credible investigation into the Finucane murder. And
Congress has supported it as well last year with H. Res. 740 and
previously as part of the Foreign Relations Authorization Act.
Madam Speaker, this resolution could not be more timely. Just last
week the Northern Ireland Police Ombudsman, Nuala O'Loan, who testified
before our committee in 2004, released a devastating report which
confirms that police in Northern Ireland have colluded with loyalist
paramilitaries in several murders over the last dozen years. The very
fact that a police ombudsman exists, and that a report as revealing as
hers can be published underscores that policing in Northern Ireland is,
in fact, very different, very much improved than it was when the Good
Friday Agreement was signed in 1998. Further testimony to the
advancements and improvements in the policing in Northern Ireland is
that just this past Sunday, on January 28, Sinn Fein voted
overwhelmingly to move to participate in the community policing system
that was set up as part of the Good Friday Agreement.
Today, the Independent Monitoring Commission set up in 2004 by the
British and Irish Governments to report on paramilitary activity has
praised Sinn Fein for its new commitment to policing. When referring to
the IRA, the IMC concludes that ``terrorism and violence have been
abandoned.''
These developments clearly are greatly welcome, and there is a new
optimism that elections for a new, devolved power-sharing government
will be held this spring. Yet, Madam Speaker, with reconciliation must
come full disclosure of the truth.
The lack of resolution of charges of official collusion in the murder
of a defense attorney such as Mr. Finucane leads people to question the
government's commitment to accountability and, above all, to justice.
His murder symbolizes the depth and danger of official state-sponsored
collusion in Northern Ireland and a disregard for the rule of law. It
has left victims who deserve answers. And I know, because many of my
colleagues and I have all spoken to them, how they want these answers.
There will be no closure and there will be no reconciliation without
the truth.
As the U.N. Special Rapporteur told us in 1998: ``Harassment and
intimidation of defense attorneys goes to the core of the independence
of the legal profession and the administration of justice in any
society.''
I am also reminded of the riveting testimony offered on this matter
at one of my hearings in 1998. Rep. Don Payne, my colleague from NJ,
remembers it as well. He was there, when Rosemary Nelson, an attorney
for Northern Ireland testified. Mrs. Nelson, who was also a wife and
mother, told Congress that defense attorneys in Northern Ireland feared
that they could be murdered themselves because no one had been held
accountable in the murder of Patrick Finucane. Six months later, after
her testimony, Rosemary Nelson was killed, the victim of a car bomb.
Madam Speaker, I would like to again express my deepest condolences
to the Finucane family, as well as Rosemary Nelson's family, and thank
them for their courageous and tireless efforts on behalf of justice,
not only for their loved one, but for all others who have been victims
of state-sponsored collusion in Northern Ireland.
Similarly, I would like to acknowledge the work and support from many
human rights activists, including Jane Winter of British Irish Rights
Watch; Elisa Massimino from Human Rights First, formerly known as
Lawyers Committee for Human Rights; Maggie Beirne, Martin O'Brien and
Paul Mageean, who have also testified before Congress on behalf of the
Committee of the Administration of Justice and have provided very, very
useful and timely insights to our committee.
I would again like to thank my cosponsors and again thank Mr. Lantos.
Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. LANTOS. Madam Speaker, I am delighted to yield 3 minutes to my
very good friend from New York, Congressman Eliot Engel, a
distinguished senior member of the Foreign Affairs Committee.
Mr. ENGEL. Madam Speaker, it is a pleasure, my friend, the chairman,
to call him the chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee, and I thank
him for yielding to me.
Before I start my remarks, I just want to pay tribute to Mr. Smith,
the gentleman from New Jersey, who has been an outstanding supporter of
human rights, not only for the Irish peace process, although he has
been a leader in that, but throughout the world. And I commend him for
this resolution, and I am pleased to be a sponsor of it, I believe the
lead Democrat on the resolution; and it is something that has been a
long time coming.
As the chairman said, the struggle for peace and justice in Ireland,
particularly the north of Ireland, continues. We are all very hopeful
because there has been great progress made, and we think that progress
will continue to be made. And the chairman explained Sinn Fein's
acceptance of policing and everything else. So we have to continue.
One of the things that is so important is the fact that the Finucane
family, and I have met with them a number of times, they are convinced
that until there is an independent inquiry, any other inquiry will be
tainted. And that is why this resolution calls for an independent
inquiry. We want to get to the bottom of what really happened to Pat
Finucane. We all know, we all suspect, but we need an impartial
commission. We need an impartial investigation because of collusion
with loyalist forces and the police for many, many years. Nothing short
of that will do, and that is what this resolution calls for. Before you
can put the past behind you, you have got to have it all come out and
know exactly what happened.
There has been great progress. The Irish Government, the British
Government have all worked together for progress. And they are both to
be commended. Both governments are to be commended because progress is
being made. But there is still a long way to go. So I support this. And
we still have other things that need to be put in place here in the
United States, the case of Malachi McCallister, and I want to mention
it, who is struggling to stay in this country, and many of us are
behind him and fighting to keep him in this country.
There are still many injustices that have been perpetrated in the
past that still have to be resolved. But starting here with inquiry
into Pat Finucane's murder is something that is very, very important
and very important for this Congress to go on record as supporting. And
this is bipartisan. It is something, I think, that can make progress.
And, again, only when we put the past behind us and let the truth hang
out can we really put the past behind us. And that is what this
resolution attempts to do. Again, only an independent commission will
suffice.
{time} 1330
Mr. LANTOS. Madam Speaker, I am delighted to yield 3 minutes to my
good friend from New Jersey, a distinguished member of the Foreign
Affairs Committee, Mr. Payne.
Mr. PAYNE. Madam Speaker, to the chairman of the Foreign Affairs
Committee, let me once again commend him for the outstanding work that
he is doing as the chairman, but in his
[[Page H1003]]
many years as a member of the International Relations Committee then
and the Foreign Affairs Committee now. We really appreciate his work.
Let me say to the gentleman from New Jersey, I had the opportunity to
work with him in the last 2 years on our subcommittee, and I commend
him for bringing forth so many of the human rights issues, and it has
really been a pleasure working with him, and also on this H. Con. Res.
20, the gentleman, Mr. Smith from New Jersey.
Earlier this week, we witnessed a breakthrough in the peace process
in Northern Ireland. Sinn Fein agreed to the legitimacy of the police
service there, and in doing so, they made a strong statement about
their future in the north of Ireland. They chose peace over violence
and the rule of law over chaos.
I have had the privilege of visiting Northern Ireland on a number of
occasions. I was there to monitor the parades, and I was lucky enough
to accompany President Clinton on a trip there. In each case, I saw
great things along with terrible things, but always the hope of the
people that one day there would be peace and understanding in their
great country.
Thanks to no small part to Special Envoy George Mitchell and efforts
that we as a nation should be proud of, the 20th century saw the
cessation of violence and the beginning of political equality. The Good
Friday Agreement stands as a breakthrough, a powerful statement, and a
revelation of that hope that there was always there and that would not
be overshadowed by violence and death. The good people continued to
push forward.
In 1989, Patrick Finucane became a victim of that violence. He was
murdered by paramilitary soldiers, gunned down in front of his wife and
his children. It was a brutal act perpetrated by men in a time of great
contention, violence, and fear. It was a small, sad episode in a larger
battle between two sides unwilling to compromise, unwilling to talk,
each fearful of each other. Northern Ireland is a different place now.
There is peace. And with that peace, the initial signs of trust and
cooperation because for any peace to work there must be trust that must
be followed by cooperation.
It is in this spirit that I rise today in support of H. Con. Res. 20.
The peace of Northern Ireland depends in no small part on openness and
cooperation. Only a full independent and just examination of the past
can lead to a peaceful trust in the future. This investigation should
begin. And with that, I commend Sinn Fein and Gerry Adams.
Mr. LANTOS. Madam Speaker, I am very pleased to yield 3 minutes to my
good friend from New Jersey, a fighter for justice for all the Irish
people, Mr. Pallone.
Mr. PALLONE. Madam Speaker, Mr. Chairman, I wanted to say that I rise
today in support of this resolution, and to commend the Finucane family
for their tireless pursuit of justice in the murder of Pat Finucane,
who spent his life fighting for the rights of the disadvantaged in
Northern Ireland.
Nothing short of a full public inquiry, without the limitations
imposed by the British Inquiries Act, will enable the Finucane family
to determine what actually happened when Pat was gunned down in his
home on February 12, 1989.
This House and numerous international groups have consistently called
for a full public inquiry to settle the troubling allegations of
collusion surrounding this murder. A recent report of the Northern
Ireland police ombudsman concluded that there was a disturbing level of
collusion between the RUC Special Branch and loyalist paramilitaries,
making this inquiry more important than ever.
Madam Speaker, ensuring a lasting peace in Northern Ireland requires
us to continue the fight for justice that people like Pat Finucane,
Rosemary Nelson, and others carried on throughout their lives, and that
is why again I want to commend everyone and particularly our sponsor,
my colleague from New Jersey, for introducing this resolution and urge
its passage as quickly as possible so that we can actually see an
independent, full inquiry.
Mr. LANTOS. Madam Speaker, I am very pleased to yield 3 minutes to
the distinguished chairman of the Friends of Ireland group, our
colleague from Massachusetts (Mr. Neal).
(Mr. NEAL of Massachusetts asked and was given permission to revise
and extend his remarks.)
Mr. NEAL of Massachusetts. Madam Speaker, I want to thank Chairman
Lantos and certainly Chairman Smith for bringing this resolution to the
floor today.
One of the reasons that American foreign policy has triumphed in
Ireland has been because this was done in a bipartisanship way, a
bipartisanship way, the way American foreign policy formally was
conducted. And the success that we have enjoyed in the North of Ireland
has largely been indispensable due to the involvement of America, and
revisiting these cases, as Mr. Smith has requested and Mr. Lantos has
sanctioned, is terribly important.
Think of these murders, cold-blooded murders, shooting down attorneys
who were providing a common defense for suspected, suspected, members
of the IRA. Never was there ever indication that they were members of
the IRA; they were suspected members of the IRA, and they were not
entitled to a common defense under the former justice system in the
North of Ireland. So, the attorneys are murdered as well as the
suspected members of the IRA.
What is notable about this is what occurred last week. Many of us in
this Chamber, Members of this House, have been involved in cases dating
back to Gibraltar, to Birmingham, and to a series of other cases which
we in this House brought forward. It is Members of this body that
demanded that the British Government bring these cases to light and be
put under the magnifying glass of critical analysis. And now we find
that not only was there collusion on the ground, there was collusion at
the highest levels of the British Government where the military gave
information to paramilitaries on the loyalist side, who then cleared
the area so that attorneys could be targeted for assassination. That is
how far reaching these murders were.
What is also significant is this: It is because of this Chamber that
the IRA and its political ally Sinn Fein had the courage to proceed
with not only disarmament but, just as importantly, they decided to
join policing. And let me just say this about policing today in the
North of Ireland. One section of the community used policing to keep
the other section of the community in line. That is what this was
about.
And now the faith that has been offered by the Good Friday Agreement,
again in a bipartisan sense, has allowed us to proceed and to move
forward. And it could not have been done without people like Mr. Smith.
And I could go on and on with Members of this Chamber, and Mr. Lantos
again offers support to this initiative today.
So it is terribly important. And I want to thank all of you, and Mr.
McCord, the chief constable from the North of Ireland will be in my
office tomorrow to answer questions from the Members of Congress
Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H. Con.
Res. 20, to address the issue of the murder of Northern Ireland defense
attorney Patrick Finucane. I thank the gentleman from New Jersey, Mr.
Smith, for introducing this legislation. It is essential that we bring
to light the suspicious circumstances of this terrible murder and the
need for our friends in the Government of the United Kingdom to conduct
a full and transparent inquiry into the matter.
On February 12, 1989, Patrick Finucane was murdered by two masked
members of the loyalist paramilitary in front of his wife and children
in his home in North Belfast. Since then, reports have indicated a
strong possibility of conspiracy within the British police in the
region. The loyalist paramilitary organization, known as the Ulster
Defense Association, UDA, or the Ulster Freedom Fighters, UFF, claimed
that it killed Mr. Finucane because of his high rank in the Provisional
Irish Republican Army, IRA. Circumstances suggest that Mr. Finucane had
ties to the IRA; he had three brothers who were actively involved in
the IRA, one of his clients was the infamous IRA hunger striker, Bobby
Sands, and former IRA member Sean O'Callaghan alleges he was a member.
However, law enforcement authorities have reported that there is no
evidence whatsoever that Mr. Finucane was a member of the IRA.
In 1999, Royal Ulster Constabulary, RUC Special Branch Agent William
Stobie was found to have supplied one of the guns used to kill Mr.
Finucane. Agent Stobie was a member of the UDA/UFF, which at the time
was a legal organization.
[[Page H1004]]
In 2001, after significant pressure from Amnesty International and as
a result of the Weston Park talks, the British and Irish Governments
initiated an investigation. They appointed retired Canadian Judge Peter
Cory to examine allegations of collusion by the RUC, British Army, and
Peace Guard of Ireland in the murder of Mr. Finucane and others. In
2004, Judge Cory reported that he recommended the establishment of
public inquiries into the matter. The British Government later
announced an inquiry, but under a recently enacted law, the Inquiries
Act 2005, the government was allowed to block scrutiny of state
actions. Judge Cory strongly criticized the law.
H. Con. Res. 20 passed the House in the last Congress as H. Res. 740,
but unfortunately the Senate did not act on the legislation. I urge my
colleagues to renew their support for this important legislation by
voting in favor of it this Congress.
Mr. CROWLEY. Madam Speaker, I rise today to support the resolution
introduced by my friend from New Jersey, Chris Smith.
I stand among my colleagues and say that it is a privilege to be an
original cosponsor of this important statement by the House of
Representatives.
The movement towards peace in the north of Ireland is moving at a
steady but slow pace. It is the slowness of this pace which is
regrettable. However, the movement forward is one which we can continue
to commend and support.
The political parties of the north of Ireland must continue to
overcome the obstacles for the sake of the people who they were elected
to represent. The people of the north must be given the representation
in government that they have sought out.
However, in order to continue to build and promote this ongoing peace
process, we must make sure that the past atrocities have been fully
investigated and those who are guilty, held responsible.
The British and the Irish Governments had agreed to hold public
inquiries into high profile murders of human rights defenders like Pat
Finucane. We must build better trust between the people of the north,
and so it is time for the British to allow the truth to come out.
I wish to express my deepest sympathy to the family of Patrick
Finucane at this time. After this brutal murder, justice must be
pursued, and I wish to thank Geraldine and her son Michael for agreeing
to testify before the committee of the House of Representatives.
The family of Pat Finucane has a right to know the full extent of
collusion that existed and caused the death of this husband and father.
Under the Weston Park Agreement and the commitment made by Judge
Cory, the British must live up to their obligations by reconsidering
their position on the matter of inquiry into Pat Finucane's death and
amending the Inquiries Act of 2005.
It is time for an independent, judicial inquiry into the murder of
Pat Finucane.
I urge all of my colleagues to support this resolution.
Mr. LANTOS. Madam Speaker, I have no further requests for time. We
are striking a blow for justice, and I yield back the balance of my
time.
Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of
my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from California (Mr. Lantos) that the House suspend the rules
and agree to the concurrent resolution, H. Con. Res. 20, as amended.
The question was taken.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds of
those voting have responded in the affirmative.
Mr. LANTOS. Madam Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
The yeas and nays were ordered.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX and the
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this question will
be postponed.
____________________