“As former members of Congress who were deeply involved in the Good Friday Agreement (GFA) twenty year ago, we urge you to support House Resolution 585 reaffirming support for the Good Friday Agreement and other agreements to ensure a lasting peace in Northern Ireland.”
AD HOC COMMITTEE TO SUPPORT THE GOOD FRIDAY AGREEMENT
Dear Colleagues
As former members of Congress who were deeply involved in the Good Friday Agreement (GFA) twenty year ago, we urge you to support House Resolution 585 reaffirming support for the Good Friday Agreement and other agreements to ensure a lasting peace in Northern Ireland. The resolution is sponsored by Rep. Tom Suozzi (D-NY) and Rep. Pete King (R-NY) and was unanimously approved by the House Foreign Affairs Committee last week. We encourage you to support the Resolution when it comes to the floor for a final vote.
Earlier this year we agreed to Co-Chair the newly formed Ad Hoc Committee to Protect the Good Friday Agreement (GFA) out of a deep concern that Brexit had placed the GFA in jeopardy as the United Kingdom seeks to leave the European Union. The Ad Hoc Committee is a bi-partisan group of over 40 American experts who have worked diligently over the years to advance and protect the GFA. In the last six months we have met with key UK, Irish and US government leaders as well as political and civic leaders from Northern Ireland. We remain convinced that the United States must remain fully engaged in the Northern Ireland peace process to protect the GFA.
For over 20 years the Good Friday Agreement has been at the very heart of the peace process that ended the violence that defined Northern Ireland for thirty years. The United States played a major role in ending the Troubles under the leadership of President Clinton and former Senate Majority Leader George Mitchell, who chaired the peace talks for two years which led to the GFA.
The GFA was also a clear demonstration of Congressional bipartisanship at its best. All through the 1980’s and 90’s, when we were both in Congress, Republicans and Democrats worked hand-in-hand to support the peace process. President Bush and President Obama continued this policy of bipartisanship by appointing Special Envoys including Mitchell Reiss, Paula Dobriansky, Richard Haass and former Senator Gary Hart. Congress continued to do its part as well as including funding the International Fund for Ireland.
Now twenty years later the Good Friday Agreement is at risk. Brexit has put in jeopardy two core principles that go to the heart of the GFA. First, that any citizen in Northern Ireland can choose to be Irish, British or both in choosing their identity and citizenship. Second, by demilitarizing the 300 mile border and creating an open border an all-Ireland economy might encourage greater prosperity and cross-community understanding especially in the communities most hard hit by the Troubles.
Northern Ireland still remains a post-conflict society. The devolved power sharing government in Stormont collapsed two years ago over sectarian divisions and there is increased polarization as a result of Brexit; that said GFA has been largely successful. The peace had held for 20 years allowing a generation of young people to grow up with a new outlook about what Northern Ireland might become going forward. These young people are refusing to abide by the traditional sectarian divisions that have defined Northern Ireland for so long. This is an enormous step forward for Northern Ireland.
The peace process is also still very much a work in progress. A recent court case filed by Emma DeSouza, who identifies as Irish, has revealed that the UK Home Office firmly believes that domestic immigration law super cedes the birthright provisions of the GFA allowing individuals the right to choose their identity and citizenship – Irish, British or both. The fact that the Home Office is challenging the very constitutional nature of the GFA twenty years after its signing deeply concerns us. There is also work to be done to protect equality and human rights rules and regulations which have been enacted since Northern Ireland became part of the European Union. We also believe the United States should play a more active role in helping to broker a new agreement that will allow the power sharing government in Stormont to be stood up again.
Last April the Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi led a CODEL to London, Dublin and Belfast. During her week-long visit the Speaker repeatedly made clear that she would not support any future UK/US trade deal which might jeopardize the Good Friday Agreement and lead to the reestablishment of a hard border across the island of Ireland. Rep. Richie Neal, the Chairman of the Ways and Means Committee, has stood shoulder to shoulder with the Speaker on this issue. Our Ad Hoc Committee wishes to congratulate both the Speaker and the Chairman for their leadership and continuing efforts to support the GFA.
As you are aware Prime Minister Boris Johnson and the European Union have drawn up a new Withdrawal Agreement. However, the Prime Minister and the Parliament remain divided on a proper course of action. As a result, a decision has been made to hold a General Election on December 12th. In this time of great uncertainty we believe that it is very important for the United States to reaffirm its support for the Good Friday Agreement and the peace process in Northern Ireland. We encourage you to co-sponsor House Res. 585 and to vote for the resolution when it comes to the House floor for a final vote.
Sincerely
Cong. James Walsh (R-NY)
Cong. Bruce Morrison (D-Conn)
AdHocGFA.org 