[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 585 Engrossed in House (EH)]

<DOC>
H. Res. 585

                In the House of Representatives, U. S.,

                                                      December 3, 2019.
Whereas, on April 10, 1998, the Government of Ireland and the Government of the 
        United Kingdom signed the Good Friday Agreement;
Whereas the main goal of the Good Friday Agreement was to bring an end to the 
        violence on the island of Ireland and to ensure self-determination, 
        peace, and reconciliation 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 an exit from the European Union by the United Kingdom that does not 
        appropriately protect the Good Friday Agreement threatens to undermine 
        progress that has been made in moving beyond the legacy of the past in 
        Northern Ireland;
Whereas the power-sharing agreement negotiated between the Government of 
        Ireland, the Government of the United Kingdom, and parties in Northern 
        Ireland in 1998 was a critical step toward negotiating lasting solutions 
        to the issues described in the Good Friday Agreement and in other 
        agreements that followed;
Whereas the collapse of the power-sharing institutions in 2017 has created 
        additional difficulties and is serving as a roadblock to continued 
        progress;
Whereas despite the historic progress of the Good Friday Agreement and 
        subsequent agreements, important issues remain unresolved in Northern 
        Ireland, including securing justice for victims of state-sponsored 
        violence and other violence and providing for the rights of all sections 
        of the community;
Whereas the reintroduction of barriers, checkpoints, or personnel, also known as 
        a ``hard border'', between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland 
        would further threaten economic cooperation between the Republic of 
        Ireland and the United Kingdom as well as the successes of the Good 
        Friday Agreement;
Whereas the United States Congress served a prominent assisting role in the 
        negotiation of Good Friday Agreement and has taken a leading role in 
        striving for 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 the Republic of 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 House of Representatives--
            (1) urges the United Kingdom and the European Union to ensure that 
        any exit from the European Union by the United Kingdom supports 
        continued peace on the island of Ireland and the principles, objectives, 
        and commitments of the Good Friday Agreement;
            (2) urges a successful outcome to the dialogue between all parties 
        in Northern Ireland to ensure that all of the institutions of the Good 
        Friday Agreement operate again and that ongoing political challenges and 
        debates can be overcome;
            (3) expresses support for the full implementation of the Good Friday 
        Agreement and subsequent agreements;
            (4) expresses opposition to the reintroduction of a hard border 
        between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland;
            (5) supports the right of all the people on the island of Ireland to 
        self-determine their future as provided for in the Good Friday 
        Agreement; and
            (6) 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 include conditions requiring 
        obligations under the Good Friday Agreement to be met.
            Attest:

                                                                          Clerk.