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 referendums in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland; Whereas the Good Friday Agreement brought to an end the longest period of conflict in the history of Ireland and delivered 25 years of relative peace; Whereas the Good Friday Agreement and subsequent agreements reaffirm a total and absolute commitment to exclusively democratic and peaceful means of resolving differences on political issues, and opposition to any use or threat of force by others support of the rule of law Whereas it is for the people of the island of Ireland to determine 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 institutions, between Ireland North and South and between the Island of Ireland and the United Kingdom; Whereas both governments and all parties dedicated themselves 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, including promoting reconciliation, upholding the rule of law, acknowledging and addressing the suffering of victims 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 governments and all parties with the support of civic institutions and leaders in the United States; Whereas the failure to honor agreements and respect commitments, rights, and law is a fundamental breach of international 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 Kingdom, and supports the continued progress, peace, and prosperity in Ireland: Now, therefore, be it That the House of Representatives— (1) urges all participants to the Good Friday Agreement and subsequent agreements to honor and exercise their obligations to those agreements in full; (2) expresses support for the ongoing search to improve implementation of the Protocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland to prevent a hard border on the island of Ireland and to promote peace and prosperity for all communities; (3) recognizes that it is for the people of Ireland to determine their constitutional future in referendums as provided for in the Good Friday Agreement free from threat and that the democratic outcome of a referendum be respected by all; and (4) will support the cause of peace, prosperity, and progress in Northern Ireland and will continue to review the implementation of agreements.

Summary: This resolution urges all participants in the Good Friday agreement and subsequent agreements to honor their obligations. The resolution also supports efforts to (1) prevent a hard border within the island of Ireland and (2) promote peace and prosperity for all communities. (The island of Ireland is divided between Northern Ireland, which is part of the United Kingdom, and the Republic of Ireland, a European Union member state.)