[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 147 (2001), Part 3]
[House]
[Pages 3705-3706]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



             UNITED STATES RELATIONS WITH IRELAND IMPORTANT

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from Florida (Mr. Foley) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. FOLEY. Mr. Speaker, we are delighted President Bush has arrived 
in the Capitol complex, and he is here to celebrate Speaker Hastert's 
Saint Patrick's Day luncheon here in our wonderful Nation's Capitol.
  I want to take a moment, obviously, to celebrate this important day 
that is arriving in just 2 short days and to commend President Clinton 
for his work in Ireland, particularly to try and bring together peace 
in that region. Ireland is a beautiful country, and anyone who has 
visited there recognizes its emerald beauty, its hospitality, its 
friendliness and its importance to the United States.
  But for too many years there has been strife, ethnic division, 
division created by religious beliefs that has gone on for far too 
long. President Clinton did his best to bring about a cease-fire, 
working with all parties to make a practical approach to peace, but the 
one thing that seems apparent to me more than anything else is our 
continued interest in economic ties with Ireland.
  Wherever I have traveled and whoever I have met in the world's 
theater, one thing seems to be clear in their presentations to members 
of our congressional delegations; that if we bring jobs and 
opportunity, America's economic might and stick-to-it-iveness, what 
emerges from strife and fighting and decay and despair, what emerges 
from those difficult situations, are hope and opportunity, progress and 
peace.
  When we recently went to the Middle East, King Abdullah, II, who is 
now the ruling leader of Jordan, rather than ask for military hardware 
and military might or more American funding, specifically asked could 
we introduce them to companies like Oracle and Microsoft and companies 
that may bring jobs and opportunity to Amman and places in Jordan. 
Because he gets it. He readily acknowledges that with work and 
opportunity and with income comes peace. People lay down their weapons 
in order to find jobs and prosper for themselves and their family.
  In Northern Ireland, we have that same opportunity; and, yes, we have 
that same obligation. The President has announced his choice for 
Ambassador of the United States to Ireland. I

[[Page 3706]]

hope the Senate speedily confirms this appointment. It is important 
that we put someone in place to grapple with the difficult and tenuous 
issues we face in this region. But it is heartening and encouraging to 
see the progress that has been made under the past administration and 
the hopefulness of the future. Combining our resources, combining our 
strength, combining our character and our ability to persuade is our 
mission now.
  So as we toast a cheer to Ireland and we celebrate a holiday in our 
Catholic faith, Saint Patrick's Day, and our remembrance of Ireland and 
the many immigrants that came to this country based on the potato 
famine or for other reasons, we are really encouraged today as we see 
many of Irish descent returning to their roots and their homeland 
because there is jobs, opportunity and strength.
  Finally, if we could figure out the peace part of that equation and 
bring stability to the region, peace to our people and happiness for 
all, we will truly not only extend the blessings of our country but 
hopefully solve some of the world's problems.

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