August 18, 1980 EXTENSIONS OF REMARKS 21841 EXTENSIONS OF REMARKS ANCIENT ORDER OF HIBERNIANS President Jack Connolly and the National ago when the Department of State, as a MEET IN NATIONAL CONVEN­ Editor of the Hibernian Digest, George result of an amendment which I offered on Poley. To all past and present officers of the House floor, agreed to impose an embar­ TION the AOH, I commend you on the fine work go on the sale and export of United States you have done, and to all future officers, I arms to the Royal Ulster Constabulary. HON. MARIO BIAGGI look forward to working with you. This embargo came as a result of the united OF NEW YORK Let me also give special recognition to opposition of the Ad Hoc Committee, the IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES Robert Bateman, your National Historian Ancient Order of Hibernians and the Irish and Official Liaison between the AOH and National Caucus to a January 1979 sale of Monday, August 18, 1980 the Ad Hoc Committee. Bob is an articulate 3500 rifles to the RUC. This sale was ap­ •Mr. BIAGGI. Mr. Speaker, on the and effective spokesman for the AOH in proved by the Department of State, despite evening of July 31, it was my distinct Washington and I value his advice and wise its clear violation of the spirit and intent of counsel on matters of mutual concern. Section 502CB> of the Foreign Assistance pleasure to deliver the keynote ad­ On September 27, the Ad Hoc Committee Act. This provision of U.S. law bars the sale dress to the 80th Biennial Convention will celebrate its third anniversary. The or export of any United States arms to na­ of the Ancient Order of Hibernians, Committee, as many of you know, was tions or organizations which engage in a the oldest and largest Irish-American formed following a direct request by the An­ persistent pattern of human rights viola­ group in this Nation. cient Order of Hibernians, communicated tions. The RUC has been cited on several I was asked to speak in my capacity through your past National President Jack occasions by such respected international as chairman of the 133-member Ad Keane. The Ad Hoc Committee, in its brief organizations as the European Commission Hoc Congressional Committee for history, has succeeded in achieving one of and Court on Human Rights, Amnesty In­ Irish Affairs. It is always a special our primary goals-to focus attention on the ternational and the British Government-ap­ Irish question. We have elevated this issue pointed Bennett Commission for inhumane privilege to see my many friends in from a position of obscurity to one which treatment of prisoners and prison suspects. the AOH for it was their organization now commends national and international According to a recent observation by one of which asked that the ad hoc commit­ attention. Ireland's leading legal authorities, Mr. Rory tee In fact be created and that I serve One manifestation of the Ad Hoc Commit­ O'Hanlon, reports of brutality by the RUC as chairman. That was in September tee's influence lies in our membership. In remain high. of 1977 and in our brief history we our early days, we began with approximate­ The decision to impose the suspension was have succeeded in raising the Irish ly 30 members on the Committee. Our num­ largely due to the work of the Ad Hoc Com­ bers have grown steadily since that time­ mittee. Yet credit must also be given to question to new levels of interest in helped in great measure by an early 1978 President Jimmy Carter, for without his this Nation and the world. personal attack on both myself and the support, the suspension would not be in I wish to salute the new officers of Committee by the former Prime Minister of effect today. Prime Minister Thatcher of the National Board of the Ancient Ireland, Jack Lynch. In an effort to discred­ Great Britain expressed her objection to Order of Hibernians: it our Committee, he succeeded in raising the suspension in a December meeting with National chaplain, Most Rev. Thomas J. our membership from 30 to 87. We then the President, where he reaffirmed his sup­ Drury; National president, John Connolly; broke the 100-member mark late in 1978 and port for the embargo, which is still in place National vice president, Joseph A. Roche; today we boast 133 Members of Congress. today. This action, combined with his being National secretary, John W. Duffy; National Our members include some of the most dis­ the first American President in 60 years to Treasurer, John K. Henry; National direc­ tinguished members of the House, including specifically address the Irish question, dem­ tors, David Burke, George Clough, Roger the third-ranked Democrat John Brademas, onstrates convincingly Jimmy Carter's com­ Furey, Michael Coogan; National editor Hi­ Chairman of the House Judiciary Commit­ mitment to peace in Northern Ireland. bernian Digest, George Foley; and National tee, Peter Rodino and James Hanley, Chair­ A more recent accomplishment of our historian and official liaison with ad hoc man of the House Post Office and Civil Committee has been my personal effort to committee, Robert Bateman. Service Committee. We are bipartisan as have the Irish question addressed as part of well, with some two dozen Republicans, in­ our Democratic Party Platform. On June In addition, a word of appreciation cluding my friend, Hamilton Fish. 13, I appeared before the Platform Commit­ for the past national president of the As Chairman of the Ad Hoc Committee, I tee to urge the inclusion of a strong Irish AOH, Thomas McNabb, for all of his see my role as an activist, a crusader, if you plank in our Party's 1980 Platform. At that great support during the past year. will, on behalf of a more positive United meeting, I stated, "The objective I seek is a Peace and justice with full respect States role in pursuit of peace and justice in simple one. I want the Democratic Party for human rights is a goal which Northern Ireland. The Ad Hoc Committee's Platform for 1980 to reflect a commitment should be pursued with full diligence. activism takes on many forms. On a regular to advancing the cause of peace, justice and The United States does have a role to basis, members of the Committee insert in human rights for Northern Ireland." I am the Congressional Record important articles pleased to include as part of my speech, the play in assisting the peace process but and statements on Ireland. The significance text of the report of the Platform Commit­ the final solution for Ireland should of this exercise should be understood. In ad­ tee to the 1980 Democratic National Con­ be determined by all of the Irish dition to the 535 Senators and Congressmen vention. people. Peace cannot come until there and the thousands of Executive Branch per­ "Consistent with our traditional concern is an end to all violence-civilian or of­ sonnel who read the Record daily, it is also for,peace and human rights, the next Demo­ ficial. read by each foreign embassy in the United cratic Administration will play a positive I now insert the full text of my States. This includes the Embassy of Great role in seeking peace in Northern Ireland. speech which I delivered on July 31 at Britain, which is very sensitive about its in­ We condemn the violence on all sides. We ternational image. Negative publicity about will encourage progress toward a long-term the AOH National Convention. the situation in Northern Ireland presents a solution based upon consent of all parties to SPEECH OF HON. MARIO BIAGGI great embarrassment. the conflict, based on the principle of Irish It is a high honor and privilege for me to The Ad Hoc Committee has also conduct­ unity. We take note of the Saint Patrick deliver the keynote address at the 80th Bi­ ed numerous hearings throughout our 33- Day statemel)t, ' ... that the solution offer­ ennial National Convention of the Ancient month history. We have been honored to ing the greatest promise of permanent Order of Hibernians. I wish to pay special have as featured speakers such distin­ peace is to end the division of the Irish tribute to the leadership of your organiza­ guished Irish political figures and statesmen people' and its urging of '. the British tion-men who have worked closely with me such as Sean Mac Bride, Neil Blaney, Kevin Government to express its interest in the in my position as Chairman of the Ad Hoc Boland and Michael Mullen. With few ex­ unity of Ireland and to join with the Gov­ Congressional Committee for Irish Affairs: ceptions, your organization, as well as the ernment of Ireland in working to achieve Bishop Thomas Drury, who has been an in­ Irish National Caucus, have actively partici­ peace and reconciliation.' New political spiration to me for some 10 years, National pated in all our hearings. structures which are created should protect President Tom McNabb, a man whose sup­ Perhaps the Committee's most important human rights, and should be acceptable to port I can always count on, National Vice accomplishment came just over one year both Great Britain and Ireland and to both e This "bullet" symbol identifies statements or insertions which are not spoken by the Member on the floor. 21842 EXTENSIONS OF REMARKS August 18, 1980 parts of the community in Northern Ire- Prime Minister Thatcher, to her credit, Senate recently attached such a pro­ land." . has involved herself in this issue.