On the recordJuly 28, 2022
I stand today to pay tribute to David Trimble, an important contributor to the formation and the success of the Good Friday Agreement and the original First Minister for Northern Ireland. I got to know David very well, and it is unfortunate that he has left us too early. All of the political parties in the North put aside longstanding animosities and came together to make the Good Friday Agreement possible. David Trimble showed uncommon courage to ignore dissenting voices in the Unionist community to achieve that historic accord. For all of us, sometimes it is difficult to say no to our own side. It was not an easy process. There were many months of negotiations, and not everybody got what they wanted, but the Nobel Prize that he and John Hume received in 1998 was a reflection of those tough decisions. As we approach the 25th anniversary of the agreement, it endures because of his patient approach, coupled with a keen focus on dialogue. My deepest condolences to his wife, Daphne, and family. Today, we know that on the island of Ireland, peace is within our sight because of the work that David Trimble contributed. ____________________
