HIGH profile Irish Americans have written to US Secretary of State Antony Blinken over the British government's controversial legacy plans.
In a letter, the Ad Hoc Committee to Protect the Good Friday Agreement said the planned legislation "violates" the peace deal and international law.
Under The Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Bill only inquests which have reached substantive hearing stage a year after the bill will be allowed while civil cases have been stopped.
Members of the committee include former congressman Peter King, five former ambassadors and two former special presidential envoys.
In a letter to Mr Blinken the committee claims "the proposed legislation violates both the Good Friday Agreement and international law, and undermines the Northern Ireland peace process that the US government has played a critical role in fostering for two decades."
The authors add that "the proposed legislation ignores the expressed concerns of the people of Northern Ireland across community and party lines, and violates the GFA and human rights standards under UK and international law that the agreement incorporated.
"Litigation over these deficiencies is certain to lead to years of further delay in addressing Northern Ireland legacy issues," it said.
In recent weeks the Ancient Order of Hibernians in America and Relatives for Justice have engaged with political figures in the US on the British government's proposals.
Mark Thompson from Relatives for Justice said: “We welcome this latest intervention from leading US figures in seeking to uphold the human rights of all victims of the conflict to effective investigative remedy."
