[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.

                          ____________________