[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 55 (Tuesday, April 8, 2008)]
[Senate]
[Page S2757]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[[Page S2757]]
    SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 74--HONORING THE PRIME MINISTER OF 
IRELAND, BERTIE AHERN, FOR HIS SERVICE TO THE PEOPLE OF IRELAND AND TO 
    THE WORLD AND WELCOMING THE PRIME MINISTER TO THE UNITED STATES

  Mr. KENNEDY (for himself, Mr. Dodd, and Ms. Collins) submitted the 
following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on 
Foreign Relations:

                            S. Con. Res. 74

       Whereas the Members of the Senate and the House of 
     Representatives are saddened that the Prime Minister of 
     Ireland, Bertie Ahern, has announced that he will resign on 
     May 6, 2008;
       Whereas Prime Minister Ahern has served the people of 
     Ireland with distinction for many years and has been an 
     extraordinary friend to the United States throughout his 
     years in office;
       Whereas, during his extensive period of public service, 
     Prime Minister Ahern has made significant contributions to an 
     unprecedented era of peace, prosperity, and progress in 
     Ireland;
       Whereas Prime Minister Ahern entered politics in 1977 and 
     has been elected 10 times in the past 31 years by the people 
     of Dublin Central;
       Whereas Prime Minister Ahern was elected leader of Fianna 
     Fail in 1994 and became Prime Minister in 1997;
       Whereas Prime Minister Ahern is the second-longest-serving 
     Taoiseach, or Prime Minister, in the history of Ireland, and 
     the second-longest-serving leader of Fianna Fail;
       Whereas Prime Minister Ahern is the first Taoiseach since 
     1944 to be elected on 3 successive occasions;
       Whereas Prime Minister Ahern has been fully committed to 
     strengthening the economy of Ireland and, under his 
     leadership, Ireland became more prosperous than at any time 
     in the history of the country and became world-renowned as 
     the ``Celtic Tiger'';
       Whereas the people of Ireland have benefitted from a 
     significantly improved quality of life during Prime Minister 
     Ahern's service as Taoiseach;
       Whereas Prime Minister Ahern promised years ago that one of 
     his highest priorities was to end the decades-long cycle of 
     hatred and violence in Northern Ireland;
       Whereas Prime Minister Ahern kept that promise and worked 
     assiduously to achieve the peace that Northern Ireland enjoys 
     today;
       Whereas the former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, 
     Tony Blair, described Prime Minister Ahern as a ``remarkable 
     leader'' and stated that Prime Minister Ahern ``will always 
     be remembered for his crucial role in bringing about peace in 
     Northern Ireland, [and] for transforming relations between 
     Britain and the Irish Republic''; and
       Whereas Prime Minister Ahern will address a joint session 
     of Congress on April 30, 2008: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives 
     concurring), That--
       (1) it is the sense of Congress that--
       (A) the Prime Minister of Ireland, Bertie Ahern, has been a 
     strong and effective leader for the people of Ireland and a 
     good friend to the United States;
       (B) the skillful leadership of Prime Minister Ahern was 
     indispensable in finally achieving a successful resolution of 
     the longstanding conflict in Northern Ireland; and
       (C) the legacy of Prime Minister Ahern is clear and his 
     contribution to peace is enormous;
       (2) Congress thanks Prime Minister Ahern on behalf of the 
     people of the United States, wishes him well, and hopes his 
     unique talents will be of service in resolving conflicts 
     elsewhere in the years ahead in our divided world; and
       (3) the Members of the Senate and the House of 
     Representatives look forward to paying fitting and fond 
     tribute to Prime Minister Ahern when he addresses a joint 
     session of Congress on April 30, 2008.

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