Title: A resolution expressing support for the full implementation of the Good Friday Agreement, or the Belfast Agreement, and subsequent agreements and arrangements for implementation to support peace on the island of Ireland.
Policy area: International Affairs

Summary:
This resolution urges the United Kingdom (UK) and the European Union (EU) to support peace on the island of Ireland and the principles, objectives, and commitments of the Good Friday Agreement. The resolution also expresses support for subsequent agreements relating to the relationship between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, including the agreement concerning the UK's withdrawal from the EU. (The island of Ireland is divided between Northern Ireland, which is part of the UK, and the Republic of Ireland, an EU member state.)

[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 117 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

<DOC>






117th CONGRESS
  1st Session
S. RES. 117

   Expressing support for the full implementation of the Good Friday 
  Agreement, or the Belfast Agreement, and subsequent agreements and 
   arrangements for implementation to support peace on the island of 
                                Ireland.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             March 16, 2021

  Mr. Menendez (for himself, Ms. Collins, Mr. Murphy, Mr. Leahy, Mr. 
 Markey, Mr. Coons, Mr. Durbin, Mr. Schumer, Ms. Cantwell, Mr. Casey, 
    Mr. Booker, Mr. Kaine, Mrs. Shaheen, Mr. Cardin, and Mr. Reed) 
submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee 
                          on Foreign Relations

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
   Expressing support for the full implementation of the Good Friday 
  Agreement, or the Belfast Agreement, and subsequent agreements and 
   arrangements for implementation to support peace on the island of 
                                Ireland.

Whereas, on April 10, 1998, the Government of Ireland and the Government of the 
        United Kingdom signed the Good Friday Agreement, also known as the 
        ``Belfast Agreement'';
Whereas the goals of the Good Friday Agreement were to bring a new era of 
        devolved government and democracy to Northern Ireland, end violence, and 
        ensure peace for the people of the island of Ireland;
Whereas the successful negotiation of the Good Friday Agreement stands as a 
        historic and groundbreaking success that has proven critical to the 
        decades of relative peace that have followed;
Whereas the return to power sharing in 2020 after the collapse of power-sharing 
        institutions in 2017 creates new opportunities for strengthening peace 
        and reconciliation in Northern Ireland;
Whereas the agreement between the United Kingdom and the European Union on the 
        withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union, and the 
        protocol to that agreement on Northern Ireland preserving an open border 
        on the island of Ireland (in this preamble referred to as the ``Northern 
        Ireland Protocol''), are intended to protect the peace forged under the 
        Good Friday Agreement;
Whereas, despite the historic progress of the Good Friday Agreement and 
        subsequent agreements, including the Stormont House Agreement agreed to 
        in December 2014, important issues remain unresolved in Northern 
        Ireland, including the passage of a Bill of Rights, securing justice for 
        all victims of violence, including state-sponsored violence, and 
        reducing sectarian divisions and promoting reconciliation;
Whereas section 6 of the Good Friday Agreement (``Rights, Safeguards and 
        Equality of Opportunity'') recognizes ``the importance of respect, 
        understanding and tolerance in relation to linguistic diversity'' as 
        part of ``the cultural wealth of the island of Ireland'' and declares 
        the Government of the United Kingdom will seek ways to encourage the use 
        of and education in the Irish language and provide opportunities for 
        Irish language arts;
Whereas the reintroduction of barriers, checkpoints, or personnel on the island 
        of Ireland, also known as a ``hard border'', including through the 
        invocation of Article 16 of the Northern Ireland Protocol, would 
        threaten the successes of the Good Friday Agreement;
Whereas the United States Congress played a prominent role in support of 
        negotiations of the Good Friday Agreement and has taken a leading role 
        in promoting peace on the island of Ireland more broadly; and
Whereas Congress greatly values the close relationships the United States shares 
        with both the United Kingdom and Ireland and stands steadfastly 
        committed to supporting the peaceful resolution of any and all political 
        challenges in Northern Ireland: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the Senate--
            (1) urges the United Kingdom and the European Union to 
        support peace on the island of Ireland and the principles, 
        objectives, and commitments of the Good Friday Agreement, also 
        known as the ``Belfast Agreement'';
            (2) expresses support for the full implementation of the 
        Good Friday Agreement and subsequent agreements, including the 
        Stormont House Agreement agreed to in December 2014, as well as 
        the protocol on Northern Ireland to the agreement on the 
        withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union (in 
        this resolution referred to as the ``Northern Ireland 
        Protocol'');
            (3) congratulates all parties in Northern Ireland for the 
        return in January 2020 to a power-sharing agreement;
            (4) urges all parties in Northern Ireland to work 
        collectively to ensure the implementation of all commitments of 
        the Good Friday Agreement and subsequent agreements so that all 
        of the institutions of the Good Friday Agreement can operate 
        successfully and sustainably and that ongoing political 
        challenges can be overcome;
            (5) calls for continuing attention and action to resolve 
        the injustices of past violence, including state-sponsored 
        violence;
            (6) supports the passage of a Bill of Rights for Northern 
        Ireland and the right of all the people on the island of 
        Ireland to self-determine their future as provided for in the 
        Good Friday Agreement;
            (7) encourages renewed attention to educational and 
        cultural efforts that will ensure the rich language, 
        literature, and arts of Northern Ireland endure and are not 
        diminished;
            (8) expresses support for the Northern Ireland Protocol and 
        its full implementation, which ensures through international 
        agreement that no ``hard border'' will be reintroduced on the 
        island of Ireland; and
            (9) will insist that any new or amended trade agreements 
        and other bilateral agreements between the Government of the 
        United States and the Government of the United Kingdom take 
        into account, as relevant, conditions requiring that 
        obligations under the Good Friday Agreement be met.
                                 <all>