[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 48 (Thursday, March 17, 2022)]
[House]
[Pages H3798-H3802]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
EXPRESSING THE HOPE FOR JUSTICE FOR THE VICTIMS OF BLOODY SUNDAY
Mr. KEATING. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to
the resolution (H. Res. 888) expressing the hope for justice for the
victims of Bloody Sunday, one of the most tragic of days during the
Troubles, on its 50th anniversary as well as acknowledging the progress
made in fostering peace in Northern Ireland and on the island of
Ireland in recent decades, as amended.
The Clerk read the title of the resolution.
The text of the resolution is as follows:
H. Res. 888
Whereas on January 30, 1972, 26 unarmed civilians were shot
by British soldiers during a protest that began peacefully in
Derry, resulting in the death of 14 individuals in a massacre
now known as Bloody Sunday;
Whereas as a result of the soldiers' unjustifiable use of
force, the individuals known as John ``Jackie'' Duddy,
Patrick ``Paddy'' Doherty, Bernard ``Barney'' McGuigan, Hugh
Gilmour, Kevin McElhinney, Michael Kelly, John Young, William
Nash, Michael McDaid, James Wray, Gerald Donaghy, Gerard
McKinney, William McKinney, and John Johnston tragically lost
their lives;
Whereas Bloody Sunday was one of the most significant and
deadly injustices to take place during the Troubles, and
exacerbated the conflict in Northern Ireland;
Whereas none of those shot by British Army soldiers posed a
threat of causing death or serious injury, or were doing
anything else that could justify their shooting;
Whereas the families of the victims of Bloody Sunday were
denied for decades an honest and comprehensive assessment of
the events that took place on Bloody Sunday;
Whereas in 1998, after campaigns from the families of those
injured and killed on Bloody Sunday, a second inquiry was
established by the Government of the United Kingdom;
Whereas this second Bloody Sunday Inquiry found that the
shootings that took place on Bloody Sunday were the result of
wrongful actions taken by British soldiers;
Whereas on June 15, 2010, then-Prime Minister David Cameron
while addressing the House of Commons apologized on behalf of
the Government of the United Kingdom saying that the events
that took place on Bloody Sunday were ``unjustified'',
``unjustifiable'', and ``wrong'';
Whereas despite these findings and acknowledgment made by
the Government of the United Kingdom, none of the individuals
involved in the unlawful use of force that led to the murder
of 14 innocent civilians on Bloody Sunday have been held
accountable;
Whereas the lack of accountability and justice provided to
those who perished from the unlawful use of force on Bloody
Sunday both erodes trust and is dangerous;
Whereas accountability and justice for the victims of
Bloody Sunday, along with all victims of the Troubles, would
represent a step towards addressing Northern Ireland's legacy
of violence and promote reconciliation;
Whereas an environment which fosters accountability and
justice for the events of the Troubles must be established by
the Government of the United Kingdom and maintained;
Whereas the full implementation of the Good Friday
Agreement with a devolved government in Northern Ireland as
well as healthy ``north-south'' and ``east-west'' relations
provides appropriate, useful, and productive avenues for
discussion and negotiation to prevent violence, uphold peace,
maintain stability, and promote the interests of all parties
and communities involved;
Whereas the avoidance of a hard border on the island of
Ireland is essential for maintaining the peace resulting from
the Good Friday Agreement;
Whereas the full implementation of the Northern Ireland
Protocol as agreed upon as part of the United Kingdom's
withdrawal from the European Union will assist in preserving
peace and stability on the island of Ireland;
Whereas while progress has been made in fostering peace in
Northern Ireland and on the island of Ireland in recent
decades, it is in the interest of all parties to foster
intercommunity discussions and relations as well as
integration in civil and societal structures to promote
communication and mutual understanding; and
Whereas on January 30, 2022, peace activists, concerned
individuals, and the descendants of those lost to this
violence gathered in Derry to mourn, to stand in solidarity
with victims' families in their search for justice, and re-
commit themselves to the peace process established by the
Good Friday Agreement: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
(1) condemns the violence and killing of 14 individuals on
Bloody Sunday 50 years ago and supports justice for the
victims and their families;
(2) calls on all parties to take meaningful steps toward
peace and reconciliation and to ensure justice for victims of
the Bloody Sunday massacre as well as all those affected by
the Troubles by supporting dialogue and negotiation between
all parties;
(3) urges the full implementation of the Good Friday
Agreement to ensure peace and stability on the island of
Ireland;
(4) recognizes the findings of the Bloody Sunday Inquiry,
also known as the Saville Inquiry, and calls upon the
Government of the United Kingdom to support prosecutions of
individuals who committed unjustifiable crimes on Bloody
Sunday based on the evidence collected;
(5) opposes any proposal by the Government of the United
Kingdom to implement amnesty or statute of limitation laws
that would end or inhibit investigations and prosecutions of
crimes committed during the Troubles, including on Bloody
Sunday;
(6) calls upon the involved parties to facilitate the
implementation of the Northern Ireland Protocol in the
interest of maintaining peace and stability on the island of
Ireland;
(7) urges the European Union, including the Republic of
Ireland, and the United Kingdom to act in good faith with
regard to negotiations around Brexit and implementation of
the Northern Ireland Protocol;
(8) calls on the people of Northern Ireland to foster
further integration across communities and break down
cultural, religious, and societal barriers that remain;
(9) supports the devolved government of Northern Ireland
and recognizes the devolved government as a successful
outcome and tenet of the Good Friday Agreement; and
(10) supports the continued strong governmental, societal,
and cultural relationships between the peoples of the United
States, the United Kingdom, and the Republic of Ireland.
[[Page H3799]]
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Massachusetts (Mr. Keating) and the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr.
Meuser) each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Massachusetts.
General Leave
Mr. KEATING. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members
have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and
include extraneous materials on H. Res. 888, as amended.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Massachusetts?
There was no objection.
Mr. KEATING. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of my resolution
expressing the hope for justice for the victims of Bloody Sunday, one
of the most tragic days of the Troubles, a violent time which lasted 30
years from approximately 1968 to 1998.
This resolution acknowledges the progress made in fostering peace on
the island of Ireland in recent decades and calls on all parties to
come together to ensure full implementation of the Good Friday
Agreement.
This resolution comes at an important time during the 50th-year
anniversary of the massacre and on St. Patrick's Day, a day where
people of Irish descent around the world remember our roots and
celebrate our history. I am proud the resolution is moving forward on
this day of all days.
First, I thank many of my colleagues on both sides of the aisle for
their sponsorship of this resolution. To the original cosponsors--
Representatives Richie Neal, Mike Kelly, Brian Fitzpatrick, David
Cicilline, Jim McGovern, Nicole Malliotakis, Gerry Connolly, Juan
Vargas, and Tom Suozzi--and almost 40 other cosponsors, I am grateful
for their support and for their longstanding work on this issue.
I also express my deepest gratitude to Chair Meeks, Ranking Member
McCaul, Leader Hoyer, and the House Foreign Affairs Committee staff for
their support of this resolution.
As a member and as a former chair of the Europe, Energy, the
Environment and Cyber Subcommittee himself, Chair Meeks understands
firsthand the importance of peace and stability on the island of
Ireland.
I introduced this resolution to honor the lives lost during Bloody
Sunday, a singular day amidst a long period of struggle that
exacerbated the conflict in Northern Ireland.
On January 30, 1972, I was a college student in Boston, a city known
for its deep connection to Irish-American culture. I vividly recall the
images and displays of unbridled violence during a peaceful protest in
Derry that reverberated throughout the world. Even today, I remain
deeply affected by the actions of British soldiers that led to the
wounding of 26 unarmed civilians and the death of 14 individuals.
On January 30, 2022, as 50 years had passed, I expressed to the
families of the victims my firm belief that Bloody Sunday represents
one of the deadliest injustices to take place during the Troubles. I
underline that as we continue to mourn the loss of those who perished
that day, we must also advocate for justice while taking the necessary
steps to build a more peaceful future.
As I expressed to the families, accountability and justice for the
events of Bloody Sunday must be achieved to ensure a long-lasting peace
on the island of Ireland. While it has long been acknowledged that
British soldiers were directly responsible for the murder of civilians
on Bloody Sunday, those who suffered under this unlawful use of force
continue to be denied an honest assessment of the events that took
place in 1972. To date, not one of the individuals involved has been
held accountable for their actions.
I want to state clearly: amnesty proposals by the government of the
United Kingdom are disrespectful and deny due process to Bloody Sunday
victims and their families. They run counter to the spirit of remarks
of then-Prime Minister David Cameron who termed the events as
unjustifiable and wrong. The evidence is clear: The individuals
responsible for the violence that took place on that fateful day must
be brought to justice.
Along with the avoidance of a hard border, these legacy issues remain
as threats to and unfinished business of the Good Friday Agreement, an
agreement few thought would ever occur. Both sides compromised. Its
improbable success of diplomacy over violence inspires us today as
Europe and the world face its greatest conflict in 80 years.
On St. Patrick's Day we take pride in the indispensable role the
United States has played in forging the Good Friday Agreement. The
Clinton Administration and congressional leaders worked tirelessly over
two decades ago to implement the Good Friday Agreement and achieve
peace through diplomacy. I admire the efforts of American leaders like
Tip O'Neill; Ted Kennedy; George Mitchell; and my colleague, Richie
Neal, who were all instrumental in negotiating a long-lasting peace.
I firmly believe the agreement accompanied by the efforts of
community activists and leaders willing to work for peace and commit to
a political framework was and remains essential to creating stability
in the region. We must continue to support the ongoing efforts to
promote integration and reconciliation and address the impacts of
intergenerational trauma.
Leaders like Monica McWilliams and Jane Morrice, as well as countless
others working on these issues today, recognize that peace does not
begin and end only on Good Friday. The work they do and the work of
others healed divided communities and should and must go on.
This resolution not only remembers those who lost their lives during
the Troubles but also recognizes challenges and opportunities of
maintaining the hard-fought peace that followed. Let Bloody Sunday
serve as a reminder of the hard work and pain to achieve harmony.
Madam Speaker, I urge all my colleagues to support this resolution,
and I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. MEUSER. I yield myself such time as I may consume, Madam Speaker.
Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague, Mr. Keating, and wish him a
happy Saint Patrick's Day as well as thank him for bringing this
resolution to the floor today.
Madam Speaker, happy St. Patrick's Day.
This January marked the 50th anniversary of Bloody Sunday when
British troops in Derry, Northern Ireland, shot at a crowd of innocent
protesters, killing 14 people. This unjustified act of violence marks a
low point in the difficult history of Ireland in the 20th century. In
fact, Bloody Sunday was just one of many tragic episodes during the
Troubles which lasted 33 years and resulted in as many as 3,000 deaths.
This bipartisan resolution we are considering today commemorates this
solemn anniversary. It also serves to remind the world that there is
still work to be done to achieve full reconciliation and safeguard a
lasting peace for all Irish people.
With the support of the United States, the 1998 Good Friday Agreement
brought an end to the violence that characterized the Troubles and
began a process to establish peace in Northern Ireland. Stories about
atrocities, violence, and repression began to recede from the
headlines. Today, Northern Ireland's story is one of prosperity,
freedom, and peace.
Issues remain, however, and the United States and the U.S. Congress
must continue to engage strongly in the pursuit of an enduring peaceful
future for Northern Ireland.
The Good Friday Agreement signed in 1998 is the best framework to
achieve this noble end. While post-Brexit arrangements for Northern
Ireland have posed challenges to this historic agreement, both sides
have worked in good faith to resolve them. This resolution also
encourages both the European Union and Great Britain to continue acting
in good faith negotiations to implement Brexit's Northern Ireland
protocol.
I support our transatlantic allies' efforts to find a more workable
solution for trade not only at the north-south Irish land border, but
also at the Irish Sea border between Northern Ireland and Great
Britain.
Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to continue the U.S. legacy of
supporting a lasting peace in Northern
[[Page H3800]]
Ireland by joining me in supporting this resolution, and I reserve the
balance of my time.
Mr. KEATING. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Pennsylvania
for his support and for his bipartisan efforts at healing and moving
forward.
Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Pennsylvania
(Mr. Brendan F. Boyle), who is a friend of Ireland and a friend of
mine. He is a champion of civil rights causes.
Mr. BRENDAN F. BOYLE of Pennsylvania. Madam Speaker, I thank my good
friend from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts as well as my fellow
Pennsylvanian, another great Commonwealth. You know which one I am
partial toward.
Madam Speaker, I not only thank Chairman Keating for his leadership
in pushing this resolution but also thank him for the eloquent words
that he just spoke. He laid out the situation quite clearly. I would
like to just briefly elaborate.
{time} 1345
Former British Prime Minister David Cameron, to his great credit,
said these words about a decade ago: ``There is no doubt, there is
nothing equivocal, there are no ambiguities. What happened on Bloody
Sunday was both unjustified and unjustifiable. It was wrong.'' He
further went on to say: ``I am deeply sorry on behalf of the British
Government.''
Now, despite those truly admirable words and despite the findings and
acknowledgment made by successive British Governments, shamefully, none
of the individuals involved in the murder of 14 innocent civilians on
Bloody Sunday have ever been held accountable.
This resolution says: ``The lack of accountability and justice
provided to those who perished from the unlawful use of force on Bloody
Sunday is both shameful and dangerous.''
Madam Speaker, we remember those who perished. We also recognize the
family members of those who were harmed and killed on Bloody Sunday who
fought for decades and decades to finally get justice.
But we must go further than that. A few weeks ago, I led a bipartisan
letter--and, again, this whole effort has been bipartisan, which is
always the case when it comes to the issue of peace in Ireland here in
the United States. I led a bipartisan letter to object to the British
Government's latest plan to institute an amnesty, a blanket amnesty. I
quote from this resolution, which is similar to the letter that we
sent.
``We oppose any attempt by the British Government to implement
amnesty or statute of limitation laws that would end or inhibit
investigations and prosecutions of crimes committed during the
Troubles, including on Bloody Sunday.''
The resolution further goes on to talk about today and: ``Calls upon
the involved parties to fully implement the Northern Ireland Protocol
as agreed upon in the interest of maintaining peace and stability on
the island of Ireland.''
Madam Speaker, today, in the United States and around the world, as
we celebrate St. Patrick's Day, all of us, whether like me of Irish
descent or not, let us also make sure that we don't lose sight of this
important civil rights issue.
Mr. MEUSER. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. KEATING. Madam Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from
Massachusetts (Mr. Neal), a champion of the Good Friday Agreement, a
person who I mentioned in my remarks was there at the time, working to
make it successful. Ireland and the Good Friday Agreement have no
greater leader and supporter.
Mr. NEAL. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Massachusetts and
the gentleman from Pennsylvania, both friends of ours, for their words.
On this very important day, St. Patrick's Day, we are acknowledging a
very important anniversary. Anybody who knows much about Irish history
knows that anniversaries are very important. The acknowledgment of
certain events that occurred throughout the sometimes perilous history
of this small country of 6 million people, north and south, are
reminded of just how grim Bloody Sunday was.
I knew those families. I recall when the former Prime Minister of the
U.K., David Cameron, acknowledged years after in a public statement, in
a speech that he made on the floor of the House of Commons, the then-
Prime Minister acknowledged that Bloody Sunday had victimized innocent
bystanders.
For a long time, the argument had been made that these were
paramilitaries on both sides. It was only the test of history that
fully acknowledged the truth of what happened on that day.
Their civil rights movement in the north was modeled, in some
measure, upon the civil rights movement here in America. I knew John
Hume very well. He was a great man at a great moment. I have known
Gerry Adams and others who participated in these very difficult events.
But out of this tumultuous time came something else, and that was the
Good Friday Agreement.
We are now coming upon the 25th anniversary of that agreement.
America is a guarantor of the Good Friday Agreement. Successive
Presidents of the United States, Democrat and Republican, have all
embraced the Good Friday Agreement as the way forward, the path,
understanding as well that the success of the Good Friday Agreement
came about because everybody had to give up something.
The Republic of Ireland gave up Articles 2 and 3 of its Constitution,
which laid claim to the six counties of the north, and the United
Kingdom gave up the border, which was a huge issue. Strand 2 of the
Good Friday Agreement reinforced the idea of a growing relationship
between Dublin and Belfast.
Let me lay this out in perspective, in the time I have remaining.
Thirty years ago, in the north of Ireland, there were 30,000 British
soldiers in an area geographically the size of the State of
Connecticut. You couldn't go anyplace. It was a militarized zone. The
Friends of Ireland, which is 40 years old--always Democrat and
Republican, we made sure of it--the success of the Good Friday
Agreement came about because of the goodwill of the men and women who
live on that island.
We should be celebrating the outcome of the Good Friday Agreement.
But part of it is also acknowledging these perilous moments in Irish
history. I suspect that we will be discussing for years to come
Americans' dimension to bringing about the Good Friday Agreement.
Just think of it: Two generations of children have now grown up in
this small, six-county area not knowing anything about the violence.
It was the reach and the role of the United States, an honest broker,
that helped bring about that agreement, which, even with bumps, people
have fully acknowledged it has worked. So the template is there.
As we celebrate the ancient culture of St. Patrick's Day, there is
something else for people of subjugation, occupation, An Gorta Mor, as
the Great Famine is known, or civil wars, risings, and revolutions,
that indomitable spirit on that tiny island, which we just celebrated,
Republican and Democrat, with the President of the United States, last
evening with the Taoiseach, the Prime Minister of Ireland, talking
about the lasting bond between the two countries.
I hope that people will use the example of what the gentleman from
Massachusetts and the gentleman from Pennsylvania have done today,
because they have acknowledged this very important moment.
What happened on Bloody Sunday, the world had a chance to witness,
and it helped shape world opinion. Thank you both for doing this today.
There is not a better way to honor St. Patrick than what you two have
laid out today.
Mr. MEUSER. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. KEATING. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from
Texas (Ms. Jackson Lee), a champion of civil rights here in this
country, a civil rights movement in this country that helped inspire
the Good Friday Agreement.
Ms. JACKSON LEE. Madam Speaker, I thank the distinguished gentleman
from Massachusetts for his leadership.
How honored I am to be on the floor with Richard Neal, who had a
major and forceful engagement in bringing about the recognition of
those who were murdered in 1972.
I thank my friend and colleague on the other side of the aisle for
joining in
[[Page H3801]]
this bipartisan effort, and I reenforce Chairman Neal's comments about
the bipartisan celebration of this great day and the great people of
Ireland.
I am happy to be on the floor on St. Patrick's Day, and I wish all of
my constituents, and friends across the nation of the great green, a
happy St. Patrick's Day. But I come to make sure this day, Bloody
Sunday, is certainly not forgotten.
I am so glad Chairman Neal indicated its inspiration came from the
toil and the soldiers on the battlefield, Madam Speaker, our beloved
friend John Lewis, in the civil rights movement, and those who are
willing to sacrifice for their belief and justice.
I am so glad that we ultimately found the truth to recognize John
``Jackie'' Duddy, Patrick ``Paddy'' Doherty, Bernard ``Barney''
McGuigan, Hugh Gilmour, Kevin McElhinney, Michael Kelly, John Young,
William Nash, Michael McDaid, James ``Jim'' Wray, Gerald Donaghy,
Gerald McKinney, William ``Willie'' McKinney, and John Johnston, who
tragically lost their lives.
As this resolution indicates, British soldiers came and shot them
down. They did not understand their seeking of dignity and the rights
that they had. So Bloody Sunday almost tracked some of the terrible
issues that we had, but these people died and were injured, and many
families for decades were denied truth.
I think it is very important that we stand on the floor today in a
bipartisan way to honor that and to applaud Prime Minister David
Cameron, who went to the House of Commons and apologized and said that
the events that took place on Bloody Sunday were unjustified,
unjustifiable, and wrong.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The time of the gentlewoman has expired.
Mr. KEATING. Madam Speaker, I yield an additional 1 minute to the
gentlewoman from Texas.
Ms. JACKSON LEE. Madam Speaker, how sad and maybe even criminal it
was to ignore this for so many years. How grateful we would be when
those who died for their rights, for justice, for equality, the very
same tenets we all adhere to here in the United States.
Let me draw in now and conclude my remarks by joining in the
resolution that urges the European Union, including the Republic of
Ireland and the United Kingdom, to act in good faith with regard to
negotiations around Brexit and the implementation of the Northern
Ireland Protocol. But more importantly, let me emphasize the importance
of the relationship between the United Kingdom, the United States, and
Ireland. Let me track the fact that we believe in justice, we believe
in civil rights, and we believe in the idea of the speech of
empowerment and the speech of democracy.
Let us not resort to bloodiness and the killing of those who simply
seek to speak for justice for them and their families.
Today, in commemoration of Bloody Sunday, never again.
Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H. Res. 888, which expresses the
hope for justice for the victims of Bloody Sunday, one of the most
tragic of days during the Troubles, on its 50th anniversary, as well as
acknowledging the progress made in fostering peace in Northern Ireland
and on the island of Ireland in recent decades.
On January 30, 1972, 26 unarmed civilians were shot by British
soldiers during a protest that began peacefully in Derry, resulting in
the death of 14 individuals in a massacre now known as Bloody Sunday,
or the Bogside Massacre.
Bloody Sunday is one of the most significant and deadly injustices to
take place during the Troubles--also known as the Northern Ireland
conflict--and describes the struggle between Irish Roman Catholics and
British who sided with Irish Protestants that lasted from the 1960s
until 1998.
None of the 26 unarmed people shot by British Army soldiers posed a
threat of causing death or serious injury, or were doing anything that
could justify their shooting.
The families of these victims were denied for decades an honest and
comprehensive assessment of the events that took place on Bloody
Sunday.
In 1998, after campaigns from the families of those injured and
killed on Bloody Sunday, a second inquiry was established by the
British Government, and it found without doubt that the shootings were
the result of wrongful actions taken by British soldiers.
The lack of accountability and justice provided to those who perished
and their families from this heinous use of force was unacceptable.
They deserved justice.
Accountability and justice for the victims of Bloody Sunday would
represent a step toward addressing Northern Ireland's legacy of
violence and promoting reconciliation.
This conflict was rooted in suppression, silencing the voices of
those who differ from you by taking away their freedoms and their
liberties.
As an African American woman in the United States, I know too well
the struggles of oppression.
The march led by our Beloved John Lewis from Selma to Montgomery,
Alabama that resulted in the brutal beating of marchers by police is
known as Bloody Sunday is a turning point in the civil rights struggle.
I stand with the victims of Bloody Sunday, because whenever
oppression happens anywhere around the world, and people risk losing
their freedoms and their liberty, I will always stand with them.
Mr. MEUSER. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Madam Speaker, I do thank my colleagues for their articulate,
eloquent, and important words: Chairman Neal, my friend Representative
Boyle, Chairman Keating, and Representative Jackson Lee.
Madam Speaker, in closing, I again thank Chairman Keating for his
work on this bipartisan resolution to commemorate the anniversary of a
tragic time in Northern Ireland.
It is fitting we are considering this resolution on St. Patrick's
Day, a day when many Americans proudly display their Irish heritage,
including my own family. My mother, formerly Maeve McMenomy; her
father, my grandfather, Philip McMenomy, who descended directly from
Ireland. As a matter of fact, my mother's mother was from Ukraine.
As you can imagine, we know how to get our Irish up in our family and
enjoy St. Patrick's Day and also reflect on the important history in
Ireland as well as the very unwarranted and deadly and destructive
events taking place in Ukraine currently.
Today, we can also say that we are at peace, perhaps proud. The
scenes of violence from the past years in Ireland have subsided that
have reigned for more than 20 years.
I was sorry to hear that the Irish Prime Minister tested positive for
COVID yesterday, so we all wish him a speedy recovery.
I do look forward to the United States and Ireland continuing to
build on our strong relationship and advance our shared interests.
This resolution is important right now, because we have had, Madam
Speaker, far too many Bloody Sundays, including in the United States.
March 7, 1965, was a terrible Bloody Sunday in Selma, Alabama. The last
several Sundays in Ukraine have been as well, with unnecessary
bloodshed without justification.
In the words of a good Irishman, Bono of the band U2: ``No more.''
I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this resolution. It is
critical that the U.S. Congress speaks with one voice toward promoting
lasting peace and reconciliation in Northern Ireland.
Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
{time} 1400
Mr. KEATING. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume
for the purpose of closing.
Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague on the Foreign Affairs Committee,
Representative Meuser, for his very eloquent remarks and his bipartisan
support and leadership on this issue for Ireland.
I want to record and reflect upon the people lost during these tragic
events marked by Bloody Sunday. They are John ``Jack'' Duddy, Patrick
``Paddy'' Doherty, Bernard ``Barney'' McGuigan, Hugh Gilmour, Kevin
McElhinney, Michael Kelly, John Young, William Nash, Michael McDaid,
James Wray, Gerald Donaghy, Gerard McKinney, William McKinney, and John
Johnston.
We need to remember and memorialize these people, young and old, who
stood peacefully, and in defiance, in their support for their values.
While many, rightfully so, have been commended for their work to
bring peace to the island of Ireland, the victims of the Bloody Sunday
massacre made the ultimate sacrifice, fighting against repression and
demanding peace.
[[Page H3802]]
To the victims of Bloody Sunday; all victims of The Troubles,
including the disappeared; the families of the victims; and the people
of Ireland and Northern Ireland, I say this directly to you: We, in
Congress, remember. We, in Congress, stand with you. We, in Congress,
know there is much more work still to be done.
I introduced this resolution to demonstrate our solidarity with you,
and I urge passage to signal that we will continue to fight for peace
and stability on the island of Ireland.
With that spirit, I wish you all a happy St. Patrick's Day, and I
urge all of my colleagues to join us by voting in the affirmative on
this important resolution.
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 Massachusetts (Mr. Keating) that the House suspend the
rules and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 888, as amended.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the
rules were suspended and the resolution, as amended, was agreed to.
The title of the resolution was amended so as to read: ``A resolution
condemning the killing of 14 individuals and violence on Bloody Sunday,
one of the most tragic of days during the Troubles 50 years ago, and
calling on all parties to take meaningful steps toward peace and
reconciliation.''.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
____________________