Albio Sires: “I want to start by thanking my colleagues, Mr. Suozzi and Mr. King, for authoring this excellent bipartisan measure that…”

“I want to start by thanking my colleagues, Mr. Suozzi and Mr. King, for authoring this excellent bipartisan measure that reaffirms Congress' support for lasting peace in Northern Ireland. The Good Friday Agreement and the fulfillment of every obligation under it is the only way to ensure that those times of violence and division never return. That is why I am alarmed by the current situation with Brexit, which could reintroduce a hard border between the north and the Republic. This is a dangerous prospect not only for the peace process but for the economic stability of the island and for the rights of the border communities. With this bipartisan resolution we send a clear signal to the United Kingdom and the European Union. It is a priority for Congress that any Brexit deal must protect the Good Friday Agreement and all of its components. {time} 1700 We must ensure that nothing compromises the peace, security, and economic prosperity across Ireland. I am proud to be a cosponsor of this measure, and I urge all Members to join me in supporting it. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time. House of Representatives, Committee on Ways and Means, Washington, DC, December 2, 2019. Hon. Eliot L. Engel, Chairman, Committee on Foreign Affairs, Washington, DC. Dear Chairman Engel: In recognition of the desire to expedite consideration of H. Res.…”