Speech #970111156

Mr. Speaker. over my 13 years in this House and especially during the more than 4 years I have served as chairman of the ad hoc congressional Committee for Irish Affairs. I have been opposed to our State Departments visa policies as they apply to citizens of Northern Ireland. It has been my firm contention that the Department of State conducts a most discriminatory policy in the granting of visasand as a result. imposes a form of censorship against many thousands of IrishAmericans. The Department has also been shown to indulge in selective morality in their visa issuances. The most recent example in the long history of this problem is the visa case of Mr. Owen Carronan elected Member of the British Parliament. Mr. Carron was scheduled to visit the United States to speak to a number of IrishAmerican organizations. as well as to meet with various Members of Congress. including myself. The State Department denied Mr. Carrons visa for a variety of reasons which I consider to be specious and unconvincing. Since when do we deny visas because of statements made by the applicant? Since when does the "belief" of a consular officer carry the weight which could lead to a visa denial? It is especially interesting to note that when the State Department initially advised my office as to the reasons why Mr. Carrons visa was deniedthey stated that his close relationship with the Sinn Fein political party was a factor. My office advised State that Sinn Fein is a legally sanctioned political party in Northern Ireland. as well as the Republic of Ireland. This reason was dropped in the official letter which I received last week from Statefurther weakening the argument for their decision. The Department of State in this same letter said that they have in fact granted a multiple entry visa good for 3 years to the Reverend Ian Paisley. Mr. Paisley has gained international attention through his public statements of bigotry and hatred against Catholics in Northern Ireland and has openly advocated the use of violence. Yet according to State. "after careful consideration of his application it was determined there were no grounds of ineligibility which would prevent the issuance of a visa and accordingly. a visa was issued." Yet on the other hand. a duly elected Member of the British Parliament is denied because he was "seeking to enter the United States to engage in activities prejudicial to the American public interest" by "conducting a publicity tour on the political situation in Ireland." I intend to seek a reversal of States ruling in this matter and hope those of my colleagues who feel as I do will join me in this effort. The State Department professes a policy of neutrality on the Irish issue yet their visa policies are as much an example of political meddling as one could imagine. The method by which we issue visas to citizens of Northern Ireland should not smack of the kind of selective morality that we have seen in the Carron case. I wish to share with my colleagues. the letter I recently sent to State seeking an explanation of their actions in denying Mr. Carrons visa and the Departments response.