I
106TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. R. 2109
To limit the sale or export of plastic bullets to the United Kingdom.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
JUNE 9, 1999
Mr. PAYNE (for himself and Mrs. MALONEY New York) introduced the
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on International Relations
A BILL
To limit the sale or export of plastic bullets to the United
Kingdom.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Northern Ireland
Peace Act’’.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
The Congress finds the following:
(1) Since the British Army and the Royal Ul-
ster Constabulary in Northern Ireland have begun to
use plastic bullets as weapons, thousands have been
HR 2109 IH
injured and 17 individuals have been killed by such
bullets, including seven children.
(2) Since the Royal Ulster Constabulary began
to use plastic bullets in 1973, more than 54,000
rounds have been fired, and plastic bullets have com-
pletely replaced rubber bullets.
(3)(A) Plastic bullets are often used in a sec-
tarian manner.
(B) During the standoff at Drumcree from July
7, 1996, to July 14, 1996, the security forces of the
United Kingdom in Northern Ireland fired a total of
5,942 rounds of plastic bullets, of which 5,500 were
targeted at Catholic Nationalists.
(4) Before the Drumcree standoff, six civil lib-
erties/human rights groups, including the Committee
on the Administration of Justice in Northern Ire-
land, the British Irish Rights Watch, and Liberty,
asked the chief constable in Northern Ireland to
‘‘immediately and permanently withdraw plastic bul-
lets from use’’.
(5)(A) The use of plastic bullets is counter-
productive whether such use is against the residents
of the Lower Ormeau Road and the Bogside or
against the Orange Order marchers in Portadown or
on the Upper Ormeau Road.
HR 2109 IH
(B) The use of plastic bullets has contributed
to thousands of maimings, difigurations, loss of eye-
sight of individuals, and overwhelmingly caused
other widespread violence and intimidation.
(6) The United Campaign Against Plastic Bul-
lets claim that the use of plastic bullets has caused
further alienation of nationalists and increased dis-
trust of the security forces of the United Kingdom
while contributing to the destabilization of Northern
Ireland.
(7) The efforts of the Government of the
United Kingdom to acquire dangerous weapons and
related materials and the means to deliver such
weapons and materials endanger the lives of Catho-
lics in Northern Ireland.
(8) The Committee on the Administration of
Justice in Northern Ireland reported that the use of
plastic bullets during riots only exacerbates the situ-
ation in Northern Ireland and increases rioting rath-
er than quelling it.
(9) The European Parliament has passed four
separate motions calling for the ban of plastic bul-
lets because such bullets are used as intimidating
weapons.
HR 2109 IH
(10) The Government of the United Kingdom
has banned the use of plastic bullets during riots in
Great Britain on the grounds that such bullets are
dangerous and lethal.
SEC. 3. DECLARATION OF POLICY.
The Congress declares that it is the policy of the
United States to deny to the United Kingdom the ability
to support acts of violence and destruction and to fund
the development and acquisition of plastic bullets and the
means to deliver such bullets by limiting the ability to im-
port, manufacture, and transport plastics to the United
Kingdom for the specific use in Northern Ireland against
predominately Catholic enclaves.
SEC. 4. PROHIBITION ON SALE OR EXPORT OF PLASTIC
BULLETS TO THE UNITED KINGDOM.
(a) IN GENERAL.—Effective on the date of the enact-
ment of this Act, plastic bullets may not be sold or other-
wise exported to the Government of the United Kingdom
or to any other entity in the United Kingdom, including
the Royal Ulster Constabulary.
(b) ADDITIONAL AUTHORITY.—The President may
exercise the authority provided to the President under the
Arms Export Control Act for the purpose of carrying out
subsection (a), including the authority relating to viola-
HR 2109 IH
SEC. 6. INCLUSION OF INCIDENTS INVOLVING USE OF
PLASTIC BULLETS AS WEAPONS IN NORTH-
ERN IRELAND IN ANNUAL HUMAN RIGHTS
REPORT.
As part of the annual human rights report trans-
mitted to the Congress under section 502B of the Foreign
Assistance Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2304), the Secretary
of State shall include a description of each incident involv-
ing the use of plastic bullets as weapons in Northern Ire-
land during the preceding year.
SEC. 7. DEFINITION.
As used in this Act, the term ‘‘plastic bullet’’ means
a projectile made of rock-hard polyvinyl chloride that—
(1) is approximately 4 inches long and 1.5
inches in diameter;
(2) weighs approximately 4.75 ounces; and
(3) is usually off-white in color.
Æ