[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 85 (Monday, May 17, 2021)]
[Senate]
[Pages S2550-S2552]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   EXPRESSING SUPPORT FOR THE FULL IMPLEMENTATION OF THE GOOD FRIDAY 
  AGREEMENT, OR THE BELFAST AGREEMENT, AND SUBSEQUENT AGREEMENTS AND 
   ARRANGEMENTS FOR IMPLEMENTATION TO SUPPORT PEACE ON THE ISLAND OF 
                                IRELAND

  Mr. WHITEHOUSE. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the 
Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of Calendar No. 20, S. 
Res. 117.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the resolution by title.
  The senior assistant legislative clerk read as follows:

       A resolution (S. Res. 117) expressing support for the full 
     implementation of the Good Friday Agreement, or the Belfast 
     Agreement, and subsequent agreements and arrangements for 
     implementation to support peace on the island of Ireland.

  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the 
resolution, which had been reported from the Committee on Foreign 
Relations with an amendment to strike all after the resolving clause 
and insert the part printed in italic, and with an amendment to strike 
the preamble and insert the part printed in italic, as follows:

       Whereas, on April 10, 1998, the Government of Ireland and 
     the Government of the United Kingdom signed the Good Friday 
     Agreement, also known as the ``Belfast Agreement'';
       Whereas the goals of the Good Friday Agreement were to 
     bring a new era of devolved government and democracy to 
     Northern Ireland, end violence, and ensure peace for the 
     people of the island of Ireland;
       Whereas the successful negotiation of the Good Friday 
     Agreement stands as a historic and groundbreaking success 
     that has proven critical to the decades of relative peace 
     that have followed;
       Whereas the return to power sharing in 2020 after the 
     collapse of power-sharing institutions in 2017 creates new 
     opportunities for strengthening peace and reconciliation in 
     Northern Ireland;
       Whereas the agreement between the United Kingdom and the 
     European Union on the withdrawal of the United Kingdom from 
     the European Union, and the protocol to that agreement on 
     Northern Ireland preserving an open border on the island of 
     Ireland (in this preamble referred to as the ``Northern 
     Ireland Protocol''), are intended to protect the peace forged 
     under the Good Friday Agreement;
       Whereas, despite the historic progress of the Good Friday 
     Agreement and subsequent agreements, including the Stormont 
     House Agreement agreed to in December 2014, important issues 
     remain unresolved in Northern Ireland, including the passage 
     of a Bill of Rights, securing justice for all victims of 
     violence, including violence by state and non-state actors, 
     and reducing sectarian divisions and promoting 
     reconciliation;
       Whereas section 6 of the Good Friday Agreement (``Rights, 
     Safeguards and Equality of Opportunity'') recognizes ``the 
     importance of respect, understanding and tolerance in 
     relation to linguistic diversity'' as part of ``the cultural 
     wealth of the island of Ireland'' and declares the Government 
     of the United Kingdom will seek ways to encourage the use of 
     and education in the Irish language and provide opportunities 
     for Irish language arts;
       Whereas the reintroduction of barriers, checkpoints, or 
     personnel on the island of Ireland, also known as a ``hard 
     border'', including through the invocation of Article 16 of 
     the

[[Page S2551]]

     Northern Ireland Protocol, would threaten the successes of 
     the Good Friday Agreement;
       Whereas the United States Congress played a prominent role 
     in support of negotiations of the Good Friday Agreement and 
     has taken a leading role in promoting peace on the island of 
     Ireland more broadly; and
       Whereas Congress greatly values the close relationships the 
     United States shares with both the United Kingdom and Ireland 
     and stands steadfastly committed to supporting the peaceful 
     resolution of any and all political challenges in Northern 
     Ireland: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved,
     That the Senate--
       (1) urges the United Kingdom and the European Union to 
     support peace on the island of Ireland and the principles, 
     objectives, and commitments of the Good Friday Agreement, 
     also known as the ``Belfast Agreement'';
       (2) expresses support for the full implementation of the 
     Good Friday Agreement and subsequent agreements, including 
     the Stormont House Agreement agreed to in December 2014, as 
     well as the protocol on Northern Ireland to the agreement on 
     the withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union 
     (in this resolution referred to as the ``Northern Ireland 
     Protocol'');
       (3) congratulates all parties in Northern Ireland for the 
     return in January 2020 to a power-sharing agreement;
       (4) urges all parties in Northern Ireland to work 
     collectively to ensure the implementation of all commitments 
     of the Good Friday Agreement and subsequent agreements so 
     that all of the institutions of the Good Friday Agreement can 
     operate successfully and sustainably and that ongoing 
     political challenges can be overcome;
       (5) calls for continuing attention and action to resolve 
     the injustices of past violence, including violence by state 
     and non-state actors;
       (6) supports the passage of a Bill of Rights for Northern 
     Ireland and the right of all the people on the island of 
     Ireland to self-determine their future as provided for in the 
     Good Friday Agreement;
       (7) encourages renewed attention to educational and 
     cultural efforts that will ensure the rich language, 
     literature, and arts of Northern Ireland endure and are not 
     diminished;
       (8) expresses support for the Northern Ireland Protocol and 
     its full implementation, which ensures through international 
     agreement that no ``hard border'' will be reintroduced on the 
     island of Ireland; and
       (9) will insist that any new or amended trade agreements 
     and other bilateral agreements between the Government of the 
     United States and the Government of the United Kingdom take 
     into account, as relevant, conditions requiring that 
     obligations under the Good Friday Agreement be met.

  Mr. WHITEHOUSE. I further ask that the Lee amendment to the 
committee-reported amendment to the resolution be considered and agreed 
to; the committee-reported amendment, as amended, be agreed to; the 
resolution, as amended, be agreed to; that the Lee amendment to the 
committee-reported amendment to the preamble be agreed to; the 
committee-reported amendment, as amended, be agreed to; that the 
preamble, as amended, be agreed to; and that the motions to reconsider 
be considered made and laid upon the table with no intervening action 
or debate.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The amendment (No. 1496) was agreed to, as follows

                  (Purpose: To improve the resolution)

       On page 8, strike lines 19 through 25 and insert the 
     following:
       (9) greatly values the close relationships the United 
     States shares with both the United Kingdom and the Republic 
     of Ireland; and
       (10) will take into account, as relevant, conditions 
     requiring that obligations under the Good Friday Agreement be 
     met as the United States seeks to negotiate a mutually 
     advantageous and comprehensive trade agreement between the 
     United States and the United Kingdom.

  The committee-reported amendment in the nature of a substitute, as 
amended, was agreed to.
  The resolution (S. Res. 117), as amended, was agreed to.
  The amendment (No. 1497) was agreed to, as follows

                    (Purpose: To amend the preamble)

       Beginning in the ninth whereas clause of the preamble, 
     strike the ``and'' at the end and all that follows through 
     ``Northern Ireland'' in the tenth whereas clause of the 
     preamble, and insert the following:
       Whereas the United States Congress stands steadfastly 
     committed to supporting the peaceful resolution of any and 
     all political challenges in Northern Ireland; and
       Whereas the United States has a Special Relationship with 
     the United Kingdom, including partnership on trade and 
     economic issues

  The committee-reported amendment to the preamble in the nature of a 
substitute, as amended, was agreed to.
  The preamble, as amended, was agreed to.
  The resolution, as amended, with its preamble, as amended, reads as 
follows

                              S. Res. 117

       Whereas, on April 10, 1998, the Government of Ireland and 
     the Government of the United Kingdom signed the Good Friday 
     Agreement, also known as the ``Belfast Agreement'';
       Whereas the goals of the Good Friday Agreement were to 
     bring a new era of devolved government and democracy to 
     Northern Ireland, end violence, and ensure peace for the 
     people of the island of Ireland;
       Whereas the successful negotiation of the Good Friday 
     Agreement stands as a historic and groundbreaking success 
     that has proven critical to the decades of relative peace 
     that have followed;
       Whereas the return to power sharing in 2020 after the 
     collapse of power-sharing institutions in 2017 creates new 
     opportunities for strengthening peace and reconciliation in 
     Northern Ireland;
       Whereas the agreement between the United Kingdom and the 
     European Union on the withdrawal of the United Kingdom from 
     the European Union, and the protocol to that agreement on 
     Northern Ireland preserving an open border on the island of 
     Ireland (in this preamble referred to as the ``Northern 
     Ireland Protocol''), are intended to protect the peace forged 
     under the Good Friday Agreement;
       Whereas, despite the historic progress of the Good Friday 
     Agreement and subsequent agreements, including the Stormont 
     House Agreement agreed to in December 2014, important issues 
     remain unresolved in Northern Ireland, including the passage 
     of a Bill of Rights, securing justice for all victims of 
     violence, including violence by state and non-state actors, 
     and reducing sectarian divisions and promoting 
     reconciliation;
       Whereas section 6 of the Good Friday Agreement (``Rights, 
     Safeguards and Equality of Opportunity'') recognizes ``the 
     importance of respect, understanding and tolerance in 
     relation to linguistic diversity'' as part of ``the cultural 
     wealth of the island of Ireland'' and declares the Government 
     of the United Kingdom will seek ways to encourage the use of 
     and education in the Irish language and provide opportunities 
     for Irish language arts;
       Whereas the reintroduction of barriers, checkpoints, or 
     personnel on the island of Ireland, also known as a ``hard 
     border'', including through the invocation of Article 16 of 
     the Northern Ireland Protocol, would threaten the successes 
     of the Good Friday Agreement;
       Whereas the United States Congress played a prominent role 
     in support of negotiations of the Good Friday Agreement and 
     has taken a leading role in promoting peace on the island of 
     Ireland more broadly;
       Whereas the United States Congress stands steadfastly 
     committed to supporting the peaceful resolution of any and 
     all political challenges in Northern Ireland; and
       Whereas the United States has a Special Relationship with 
     the United Kingdom, including partnership on trade and 
     economic issues: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) urges the United Kingdom and the European Union to 
     support peace on the island of Ireland and the principles, 
     objectives, and commitments of the Good Friday Agreement, 
     also known as the ``Belfast Agreement'';
       (2) expresses support for the full implementation of the 
     Good Friday Agreement and subsequent agreements, including 
     the Stormont House Agreement agreed to in December 2014, as 
     well as the protocol on Northern Ireland to the agreement on 
     the withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union 
     (in this resolution referred to as the ``Northern Ireland 
     Protocol'');
       (3) congratulates all parties in Northern Ireland for the 
     return in January 2020 to a power-sharing agreement;
       (4) urges all parties in Northern Ireland to work 
     collectively to ensure the implementation of all commitments 
     of the Good Friday Agreement and subsequent agreements so 
     that all of the institutions of the Good Friday Agreement can 
     operate successfully and sustainably and that ongoing 
     political challenges can be overcome;
       (5) calls for continuing attention and action to resolve 
     the injustices of past violence, including violence by state 
     and non-state actors;
       (6) supports the passage of a Bill of Rights for Northern 
     Ireland and the right of all the people on the island of 
     Ireland to self-determine their future as provided for in the 
     Good Friday Agreement;
       (7) encourages renewed attention to educational and 
     cultural efforts that will ensure the rich language, 
     literature, and arts of Northern Ireland endure and are not 
     diminished;
       (8) expresses support for the Northern Ireland Protocol and 
     its full implementation, which ensures through international 
     agreement that no ``hard border'' will be reintroduced on the 
     island of Ireland; and
       (9) greatly values the close relationships the United 
     States shares with both the United Kingdom and the Republic 
     of Ireland; and
       (10) will take into account, as relevant, conditions 
     requiring that obligations under the Good Friday Agreement be 
     met as the United States seeks to negotiate a mutually 
     advantageous and comprehensive trade agreement between the 
     United States and the United Kingdom.

[[Page S2552]]

  

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