H. Res. 740
In the House of Representatives, U.S., 
May 18 (legislative day, May 17), 2006.
Whereas human rights defense attorney and solicitor Patrick 
Finucane was brutally murdered in front of his wife and 
children at his home in Belfast on February 12, 1989; 
Whereas many international bodies and nongovernmental 
human rights organizations, including Amnesty Inter-
national, British Irish Rights Watch, the Committee for 
the Administration of Justice, and Human Rights First, 
have called attention to serious allegations of collusion 
between loyalist paramilitaries and British security forces 
in the murder of Mr. Finucane; 
Whereas in July 2001 the Governments of Ireland and the 
United Kingdom under terms of the Weston Park Agree-
ment appointed retired Canadian Judge Peter Cory to in-
vestigate the allegations of collusion between loyalist 
paramilitaries and British security forces in the murder 
of Mr. Finucane and other individuals; 
Whereas Judge Cory reported to the Governments of Ireland 
and the United Kingdom in April 2004 that sufficient 
evidence of collusion existed to warrant a public inde-
pendent, judicial inquiry into the murder of Mr. 
Finucane and recommended that a public inquiry take 
place without delay;
•HRES 740 EH 
Whereas the Government of the United Kingdom in April 
2005 adopted the Inquiries Act 2005 which empowers the 
Government to block scrutiny of state actions and limits 
independent action by the judiciary in inquiries held 
under its terms, and, after the enactment of this legisla-
tion establishing new limited inquiry procedures, the Gov-
ernment announced that an inquiry into the murder of 
Mr. Finucane would be established which would operate 
under terms of the new legislation; 
Whereas Judge Cory, in a written statement presented to the 
Committee on International Relations of the House of 
Representatives in 2005, stated that his 2004 rec-
ommendation for a public inquiry into the murder of Mr. 
Finucane had ‘‘contemplated a true public inquiry con-
stituted and acting pursuant to the provisions of the 
1921 Act’’ (the Tribunals of Inquiry (Evidence) Act 
1921), and also stated that ‘‘it seems to me that the pro-
posed new Act would make a meaningful inquiry impos-
sible’’; 
Whereas the family of Mr. Finucane has rejected the limited 
authority of an inquiry conducted under terms of the In-
quiries Act of 2005; 
Whereas Amnesty International, British Irish Rights Watch, 
the Committee for the Administration of Justice, and 
Human Rights First have likewise rejected any proposed 
inquiry into the murder of Mr. Finucane established 
under procedures of the Inquiries Act of 2005 and have 
called for the repeal of the Act; 
Whereas the Dial Eireann (Parliament of Ireland) adopted a 
resolution on March 8, 2006, calling for the establish-
ment of a full public independent judicial inquiry into the 
murder of Patrick Finucane; and
•HRES 740 EH 
Whereas the Foreign Relations Authorization Act, Fiscal 
Year 2003 (Public Law 107–228) and House Resolution 
128 (April 20, 1999) support the establishment of a pub-
lic independent judicial inquiry into the murder of Pat-
rick Finucane: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the House of Representatives—
(1) expresses to the family of Patrick Finucane 
deepest condolences on his death, commends their stead-
fast pursuit of justice in his brutal murder, and thanks 
his wife Geraldine and son Michael for their willingness 
to testify on this matter before committees of the House 
of Representatives on numerous occasions; 
(2) supports the efforts of the Administration in 
seeking the full implementation of the Weston Park 
Agreement and the establishment of an independent ju-
dicial inquiry into the murder of Patrick Finucane; 
(3) calls on the Government of the United Kingdom 
to reconsider its position on the matter of an inquiry 
into the murder of Mr. Finucane, to amend the Inquiries 
Act of 2005, and to take fully into account the objec-
tions of Judge Cory, objections raised by officials of the 
United States Government, other governments, and 
international bodies, and the objections raised by Mr. 
Finucane’s family; and 
(4) urges the Government of the United Kingdom 
immediately to establish a full, independent, and public
•HRES 740 EH 
judicial inquiry into the murder of Patrick Finucane 
which would enjoy the full cooperation and support of 
his family, the people of Northern Ireland, and the inter-
national community as recommended by Judge Cory.
Attest: 
Clerk.