[Congressional Bills 108th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1208 Referred in Senate (RFS)]
1st Session
H. R. 1208
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
April 1, 2003
Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations
_______________________________________________________________________
AN ACT
To authorize appropriations for fiscal years 2004 and 2005 for United
States contributions to the International Fund for Ireland, and for
other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Northern Ireland Peace and
Reconciliation Support Act of 2003''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS; SENSE OF CONGRESS.
(a) Findings.--Congress finds the following:
(1) The United States has been effectively engaged in the
Northern Ireland peace process through both participating in
negotiations and contributing to the economic development of
the region.
(2) Both the Government of Ireland and the Irish people and
the Government of the United Kingdom and the British people are
long-standing friends of the United States and the American
people.
(3) In 1986, the United States, in support of the Agreement
Between the Government of Ireland and the Government of the
United Kingdom (``Anglo-Irish Agreement'') dated November 15,
1985, initiated annual contributions to the International Fund
for Ireland (``International Fund'') to help bolster economic
development and support programs that would foster peace and
reconciliation in Northern Ireland and the affected border
areas of the Republic of Ireland.
(4) The United States has been a generous and faithful
donor to the International Fund, contributing more than
$386,000,000 to help improve relations between Catholics and
Protestants in Northern Ireland through the creation of
thousands of jobs and cross community business development.
(5) More than 80 percent of the International Fund's
investments have been in disadvantaged areas offering work
experience and important job training programs for
disadvantaged and unemployed youth through the economic,
social, and physical regeneration of deprived areas.
(6) The International Fund has also developed a series of
community-building programs promoting greater dialogue and
understanding between Catholics and Protestants and leadership
programs designed to develop a new generation of leaders in
Northern Ireland to bring about a more peaceful and prosperous
future in the region.
(7) Through the Anglo-Irish Agreement Support Act of 1986
(Public Law 99-415), the United States also seeks to ensure
that its contributions promote ``reconciliation in Northern
Ireland and the establishment of a society in Northern Ireland
in which all may live in peace, free from discrimination,
terrorism, and intolerance, and with the opportunity for both
communities to participate fully in the structures and
processes of government.''.
(8) The Good Friday Agreement reached by the Government of
Ireland, the Government of the United Kingdom, and political
party leaders on April 10, 1998, created the Northern Ireland
Executive Assembly and Executive Committee and provided for a
``democratically elected Assembly in Northern Ireland which is
inclusive in its membership, capable of exercising executive
and legislative authority, and subject to safeguards to protect
the rights and interests of all sides of the community.''.
(9) The Good Friday Agreement also called for police reform
and establishment of a ``new beginning'' in policing in
Northern Ireland with an effective, accountable, and fair
police service capable of attracting and sustaining support
from the community as a whole, capable of maintaining law and
order, and based on principles of protection of human rights.
(10) In 1999, the Independent Commission on Policing in
Northern Ireland, mandated by the Good Friday Agreement, made
175 recommendations for policing reform in Northern Ireland,
some of which have been implemented.
(11) In 2002, the Department of State, as required by
section 701(d) of the Foreign Relations Authorization Act,
Fiscal Year 2003 (Public Law 107-228), issued a ``Report on
Policing Reform and Human Rights in Northern Ireland'' and
concluded that among key areas of concern that had not been
fully implemented was the establishment of a critically-needed
new police training facility and an increase in funding for
training programs.
(b) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that--
(1) United States assistance for the International Fund has
contributed greatly to the economic development of Northern
Ireland and that both objectives of the Anglo-Irish Agreement
Support Act of 1986, economic development and reconciliation,
remain critical to achieving a just and lasting peace in the
region, especially in the economically-depressed areas;
(2) although there has been positive economic development
in both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland,
International Fund contributions to support much-needed
projects in economically-depressed areas of Northern Ireland
remain very important, and an expansion of efforts in
reconciliation projects as a way to promote peace and economic
stability is also encouraged; and
(3) since policing reform is a significant part of winning
public confidence and acceptance in the new form of government
in Northern Ireland, the International Fund is encouraged to
support programs that enhance relations between communities,
and between the police and the communities they serve, promote
human rights training for police, and enhance peaceful
mediation in neighborhoods of continued conflict.
SEC. 3. AMENDMENTS TO THE ANGLO-IRISH AGREEMENT SUPPORT ACT OF 1986.
(a) Findings and Purposes.--Section 2(b) of the Anglo-Irish
Agreement Support Act of 1986 is amended by adding at the end the
following: ``Furthermore, the International Fund is encouraged to
support programs that enhance relations between communities, and
between the police and the communities they serve, promote human rights
training for police, enhance peaceful mediation in neighborhoods of
continued conflict, promote training programs to enhance the new
district partnership police boards recommended by the Patten
Commission, and assist in the transition of former British military
installations and prisons into sites for peaceful, community-supported
activities, such as housing, retail, and commercial development.''.
(b) United States Contributions to the International Fund.--Section
3 of the Anglo-Irish Agreement Support Act of 1986 is amended by adding
at the end the following:
``(c) Fiscal Years 2004 and 2005.--Of the amounts made available
for fiscal years 2004 and 2005 to carry out chapter 4 of part II of the
Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (relating to the economic support fund),
there are authorized to be appropriated $25,000,000 for each such
fiscal year for United States contributions to the International Fund.
Amounts appropriated pursuant to the authorization of appropriations
under the preceding sentence are authorized to remain available until
expended. Of the amount authorized to be appropriated for fiscal years
2004 and 2005 under this subsection, it is the sense of Congress that
not less than 20 percent of such amount for each such fiscal year
should be used to carry out the last sentence of section 2(b).''.
(c) Annual Reports.--Section 6(1) of the Anglo-Irish Agreement
Support Act of 1986 is amended by adding at the end before the
semicolon the following: ``, specifically through improving local
community relations and relations between the police and the people
they serve''.
Passed the House of Representatives March 31, 2003.
Attest:
JEFF TRANDAHL,
Clerk.