[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 888 Engrossed in House (EH)]
<DOC>
H. Res. 888
In the House of Representatives, U. S.,
March 17, 2022.
Whereas on January 30, 1972, 26 unarmed civilians were shot by British soldiers
during a protest that began peacefully in Derry, resulting in the death
of 14 individuals in a massacre now known as Bloody Sunday;
Whereas as a result of the soldiers' unjustifiable use of force, the individuals
known as John ``Jackie'' Duddy, Patrick ``Paddy'' Doherty, Bernard
``Barney'' McGuigan, Hugh Gilmour, Kevin McElhinney, Michael Kelly, John
Young, William Nash, Michael McDaid, James Wray, Gerald Donaghy, Gerard
McKinney, William McKinney, and John Johnston tragically lost their
lives;
Whereas Bloody Sunday was one of the most significant and deadly injustices to
take place during the Troubles, and exacerbated the conflict in Northern
Ireland;
Whereas none of those shot by British Army soldiers posed a threat of causing
death or serious injury, or were doing anything else that could justify
their shooting;
Whereas the families of the victims of Bloody Sunday were denied for decades an
honest and comprehensive assessment of the events that took place on
Bloody Sunday;
Whereas in 1998, after campaigns from the families of those injured and killed
on Bloody Sunday, a second inquiry was established by the Government of
the United Kingdom;
Whereas this second Bloody Sunday Inquiry found that the shootings that took
place on Bloody Sunday were the result of wrongful actions taken by
British soldiers;
Whereas on June 15, 2010, then-Prime Minister David Cameron while addressing the
House of Commons apologized on behalf of the Government of the United
Kingdom saying that the events that took place on Bloody Sunday were
``unjustified'', ``unjustifiable'', and ``wrong'';
Whereas despite these findings and acknowledgment made by the Government of the
United Kingdom, none of the individuals involved in the unlawful use of
force that led to the murder of 14 innocent civilians on Bloody Sunday
have been held accountable;
Whereas the lack of accountability and justice provided to those who perished
from the unlawful use of force on Bloody Sunday both erodes trust and is
dangerous;
Whereas accountability and justice for the victims of Bloody Sunday, along with
all victims of the Troubles, would represent a step towards addressing
Northern Ireland's legacy of violence and promote reconciliation;
Whereas an environment which fosters accountability and justice for the events
of the Troubles must be established by the Government of the United
Kingdom and maintained;
Whereas the full implementation of the Good Friday Agreement with a devolved
government in Northern Ireland as well as healthy ``north-south'' and
``east-west'' relations provides appropriate, useful, and productive
avenues for discussion and negotiation to prevent violence, uphold
peace, maintain stability, and promote the interests of all parties and
communities involved;
Whereas the avoidance of a hard border on the island of Ireland is essential for
maintaining the peace resulting from the Good Friday Agreement;
Whereas the full implementation of the Northern Ireland Protocol as agreed upon
as part of the United Kingdom's withdrawal from the European Union will
assist in preserving peace and stability on the island of Ireland;
Whereas while progress has been made in fostering peace in Northern Ireland and
on the island of Ireland in recent decades, it is in the interest of all
parties to foster intercommunity discussions and relations as well as
integration in civil and societal structures to promote communication
and mutual understanding; and
Whereas on January 30, 2022, peace activists, concerned individuals, and the
descendants of those lost to this violence gathered in Derry to mourn,
to stand in solidarity with victims' families in their search for
justice, and re-commit themselves to the peace process established by
the Good Friday Agreement: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
(1) condemns the violence and killing of 14 individuals on Bloody
Sunday 50 years ago and supports justice for the victims and their
families;
(2) calls on all parties to take meaningful steps toward peace and
reconciliation and to ensure justice for victims of the Bloody Sunday
massacre as well as all those affected by the Troubles by supporting
dialogue and negotiation between all parties;
(3) urges the full implementation of the Good Friday Agreement to
ensure peace and stability on the island of Ireland;
(4) recognizes the findings of the Bloody Sunday Inquiry, also known
as the Saville Inquiry, and calls upon the Government of the United
Kingdom to support prosecutions of individuals who committed
unjustifiable crimes on Bloody Sunday based on the evidence collected;
(5) opposes any proposal by the Government of the United Kingdom to
implement amnesty or statute of limitation laws that would end or
inhibit investigations and prosecutions of crimes committed during the
Troubles, including on Bloody Sunday;
(6) calls upon the involved parties to facilitate the implementation
of the Northern Ireland Protocol in the interest of maintaining peace
and stability on the island of Ireland;
(7) urges the European Union, including the Republic of Ireland, and
the United Kingdom to act in good faith with regard to negotiations
around Brexit and implementation of the Northern Ireland Protocol;
(8) calls on the people of Northern Ireland to foster further
integration across communities and break down cultural, religious, and
societal barriers that remain;
(9) supports the devolved government of Northern Ireland and
recognizes the devolved government as a successful outcome and tenet of
the Good Friday Agreement; and
(10) supports the continued strong governmental, societal, and
cultural relationships between the peoples of the United States, the
United Kingdom, and the Republic of Ireland.
Attest:
Clerk.