[Congressional Bills 103th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Con. Res. 103 Introduced in House (IH)]

103d CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. CON. RES. 103

Expressing the sense of the Congress that the President should develop 
    a strategy to bring the United States back into active and full 
membership in the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural 
                             Organization.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              May 19, 1993

   Mr. Torres (for himself, Mr. Berman, Mr. Brown of California, Mr. 
    Lantos, Mr. Leach, and Mr. Miller of California) submitted the 
following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on 
                            Foreign Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                         CONCURRENT RESOLUTION


 
Expressing the sense of the Congress that the President should develop 
    a strategy to bring the United States back into active and full 
membership in the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural 
                             Organization.

Whereas the Congress recognizes that the United Nations Educational, Scientific, 
        and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) was created in 1946 as an integral 
        part of the United Nations system, designed to promote international 
        cooperation and exchanges in the fields of education, science, culture, 
        and communication with the larger purpose of constructing ``the defenses 
        of peace'' against intolerance and incitements to war;
Whereas in 1984, the United States withdrew from the organization over questions 
        of internal management and political polarization;
Whereas since that time UNESCO has elected new leadership, instituted tightened 
        financial controls and strategic planning, cut staff and budget, renewed 
        professionalism, restored recognition of intellectual property, returned 
        the organization to the principle of an unfettered, independent 
        international press, therefore addressing and redressing the criticisms 
        which formed the justification for the United States' withdrawal;
Whereas in 1993 the General Accounting Office, after conducting extensive review 
        of the organization's progress in implementing changes toward solving 
        the problems that were cited in justifying the withdrawal of the United 
        States from the organization in 1984, concluded that, the organization's 
        member states, Director General, managers, and employee associations 
        have demonstrated a commitment to management reform through their 
        actions;
Whereas the interest of the United States to encourage further progress toward 
        solving the problems of the organization would be best ensured by the 
        leadership, support, and participation of the United States;
Whereas many countries that are members of the organization, especially 
        countries that collaborate closely with the United States, have 
        expressed a strong desire for the United States to resume active 
        participation in the organization;
Whereas the organization's current and projected plans offer means for advancing 
        the foreign policy interests of the United States in promoting 
        democracy, sustainable development, and conflict resolution;
Whereas the four interrelated areas of expertise of the organization, which are 
        education, science, culture, and communication, represent important 
        areas of American competitive advantage, and participation in global 
        programs and policymaking in these fields advances the interests of the 
        United States;
Whereas the organization has placed high priority on the promotion of democracy, 
        free flow of information, training and expertise, and other goals 
        consistent with United States policy in Eastern Europe and the former 
        Soviet Union;
Whereas the organization has put a high priority on programs to strengthen a 
        free press and journalistic independence;
Whereas multilateral initiatives in such politically sensitive activities offer 
        advantages not always offered by bilateral initiatives;
Whereas the organization avoids program duplication within the United Nations 
        system and cooperates with other specialized agencies of the system to 
        allocate distinct responsibilities;
Whereas other United Nations specialized agencies recognize the distinct role of 
        the organization in building intellectual networks for the 
        implementation of their system-wide activities;
Whereas the organization is a catalytic agency that manages, designs, and 
        promotes projects which raise additional funding beyond the costs 
        directly borne by the organization;
Whereas the distinct role of the organization is reflected in its inclusion in 
        all major multi-agency initiatives, such as preparation and followup of 
        the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development;
Whereas active and effective participation in the organization could advance the 
        domestic policy interests of the United States;
Whereas such policy interests include reducing illiteracy and improving 
        education, including education for immigrant populations coming from 
        other nations and cultures, increasing tolerance among ethnic and racial 
        minority groups, protecting cultural freedom and the free flow of 
        information, widening access to communications technology markets in 
        developing countries by American businesses, providing broader channels 
        for international collaboration on scientific research, and 
        understanding environmental change and preservation;
Whereas the policy interest of the United States would be better served if the 
        United States would resume participation in the organization and use its 
        strategic position in the organization to demonstrate, disseminate, and 
        express unambiguously the values of the United States;
Whereas in 1993, the Executive Board and the General Conference of the 
        Organization will make important decisions affecting the program 
        content, work methods, executive leadership, and general management of 
        the organization for the remainder of the 20th century; and
Whereas the United States will have to resume active membership in the 
        organization in 1993 in order to participate directly in these 
        decisions: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), 
That it is the sense of the Congress that the President should--
            (1) develop a strategy to bring the United States back into 
        active and full membership in the United Nations Educational, 
        Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) during 1993;
            (2) direct the Secretary of State to consult with 
        government agencies, nongovernmental organizations, and other 
        interested parties that had substantial involvement with the 
        work of the organization before the withdrawal of the United 
        States in order to formulate goals the United States should 
        seek at the organization as part of the strategy and to 
        reexamine the frameworks established in law for the 
        participation of the American nongovernmental sector in UNESCO 
        policy and activities;
            (3) direct the Secretary of State to reconstitute the 
        United States National Commission for UNESCO;
            (4) consult with other governments on prospects for further 
        reform of the organization's policy bodies and governance, 
        particularly with an eye to strengthening in all member states 
        the role of independent, nongovernmental, intellectual sectors 
        in agency programs and governance; and
            (5) report to the Congress before September 30, 1993, on 
        the nature and extent of the consultations and the progress 
        being made on the strategy.

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