What This Bill Does
This resolution marks the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement, which was signed on April 10, 1998 by Ireland and the United Kingdom. The House of Representatives expresses support for the peace agreement and calls on all parties involved to honor their obligations under it.
Who It Affects
The governments of Ireland and the United Kingdom are directly addressed. The resolution also affects the people of Ireland, Northern Ireland and all communities in Northern Ireland.
Key Provisions
* The House urges all participants in the Good Friday Agreement and related agreements to fully honor and carry out their obligations (Resolution paragraph 1)
* The House expresses support for ongoing efforts to improve how the Protocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland is carried out, with the goal of preventing a hard border and promoting peace and prosperity (Resolution paragraph 2)
* The House recognizes that the people of Ireland have the right to determine their own constitutional future through referendums as outlined in the Good Friday Agreement, free from threats, and that democratic referendum outcomes must be respected by everyone (Resolution paragraph 3)
* The House commits to supporting peace, prosperity and progress in Northern Ireland and will continue to monitor how agreements are being implemented (Resolution paragraph 4)
What Changes
Not specified in bill text
Important Definitions
None defined
Effective Date
Not specified in bill text
IV
118TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. RES. 43
Marking the 25th anniversary of the signing of the Good Friday Agreement.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
JANUARY 17, 2023
Mr. NEAL (for himself and Mr. KELLY of Pennsylvania) submitted the
following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs
RESOLUTION
Marking the 25th anniversary of the signing of the Good
Friday Agreement.
Whereas, on April 10, 1998, the Government of Ireland and
the Government of the United Kingdom signed the Good
Friday Agreement;
Whereas, on May 22, 1998, the Agreement was endorsed by
the vast majority of citizens voting in simultaneous ref-
erendums in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ire-
land;
Whereas the Good Friday Agreement brought to an end the
longest period of conflict in the history of Ireland and de-
livered 25 years of relative peace;
Whereas the Good Friday Agreement and subsequent agree-
ments reaffirm ‘‘a total and absolute commitment to ex-
clusively democratic and peaceful means of resolving dif-
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•HRES 43 IH
ferences on political issues, and opposition to any use or
threat of force by others’’ and ‘‘support of the rule of
law’’;
Whereas it is for the people of the island of Ireland to deter-
mine their constitutional future by means of referendums
as provided for by the Good Friday Agreement;
Whereas the Good Friday Agreement established a power
sharing and partnership government in Northern Ireland,
as part of an interlocking and interdependent set of insti-
tutions, between Ireland North and South and between
the Island of Ireland and the United Kingdom;
Whereas both governments and all parties dedicated them-
selves ‘‘to the achievement of reconciliation, tolerance,
and mutual trust, and to the protection and vindication
of the human rights of all’’;
Whereas in the subsequent Stormont House Agreement, both
governments agreed to certain principles to reconcile the
consequences of past conflict with a shared future, in-
cluding promoting reconciliation, upholding the rule of
law, acknowledging and addressing the suffering of vic-
tims and survivors, and facilitating the pursuit of justice
and information recovery in a way that is human rights
compliant, and is balanced, proportionate, transparent,
fair and equitable;
Whereas progress has advanced and agreements have been
made through a multilateral process between both gov-
ernments and all parties with the support of civic institu-
tions and leaders in the United States;
Whereas the failure to honor agreements and respect commit-
ments, rights, and law is a fundamental breach of inter-
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•HRES 43 IH
national commitments and represents an undermining of
the political process; and
Whereas Congress values the special relationship, bound by
history and kinship, with Ireland and the United King-
dom, and supports the continued progress, peace, and
prosperity in Ireland: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the House of Representatives—
1
(1) urges all participants to the Good Friday
2
Agreement and subsequent agreements to honor and
3
exercise their obligations to those agreements in full;
4
(2) expresses support for the ongoing search to
5
improve implementation of the Protocol on Ireland/
6
Northern Ireland to prevent a hard border on the is-
7
land of Ireland and to promote peace and prosperity
8
for all communities;
9
(3) recognizes that it is for the people of Ire-
10
land to determine their constitutional future in ref-
11
erendums as provided for in the Good Friday Agree-
12
ment free from threat and that the democratic out-
13
come of a referendum be respected by all; and
14
(4) will support the cause of peace, prosperity,
15
and progress in Northern Ireland and will continue
16
to review the implementation of agreements.
17
Æ
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