109 HR 5713 IH: To pursue a policy of weighted voting with respect to the U.S. House of Representatives 2006-06-29 text/xml EN Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.

I 109th CONGRESS 2d Session H. R. 5713 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES June 29, 2006 Mr. Hyde introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on International Relations A BILL To pursue a policy of weighted voting with respect to the budgets of the United Nations.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the United Nations Budget Reform Act of 2006.

2.

Policy with respect to weighted voting

It shall be the policy of the United States to use its voice, vote, and influence at the United Nations to actively pursue the adoption by the General Assembly of formal procedures for the use of weighted voting in the General Assembly with respect to the adoption of regularly assessed budgets for biennial periods. In accordance with such procedures, the proportionate value of a Member State’s vote shall be equal to such Member State’s assessed contribution to the budget under consideration.

3.

Consensus voting

(a)

In general

Until the adoption of procedures for the use of weighted voting in accordance with section (2), it shall be the policy of the United States to use its voice, vote, and influence at the United Nations to actively pursue the adoption by the United Nations of formal procedures that prohibit the passage of a regularly assessed budget for a biennial period without first obtaining the unanimous consent of all Member States concerning such budget. (b)

Penalty for violation

If at any time after the date of the enactment of this Act the United Nations adopts a regularly assessed budget for a biennial period without first obtaining unanimous consent concerning such budget by all Member States in accordance with subsection (a), thereby adopting such budget over an objection by the United States or any other Member State, the United States shall appropriate, but withhold from expenditure, 25 percent of the contributions of the United States to such budget. The penalty described in this subsection shall not apply if such budget is adopted in accordance with a system of weighted voting described in section 2. (c)

Use of funds

(1)

In general

Contributions appropriated but withheld from expenditure under subsection (b) are authorized to remain available until the earlier of— (A)such time as the Secretary of State submits to the Committee on International Relations of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate a certification that the United Nations is in compliance with the requirements of this Act, or (B)the date that is five years after the date on which such funds are withheld. (2)

Release of funds

If the Secretary submits to the committees specified in paragraph (1)(A) the certification referred to in such paragraph before the date referred to in paragraph (1)(B), the United States shall transfer to the United Nations contributions appropriated but withheld from expenditure under subsection (b). (3)

Reversion to United States

If the Secretary does not submit to the committees specified in paragraph (1)(A) the certification referred to in such paragraph before the date referred to in paragraph (1)(B), contributions appropriated but withheld from expenditure under subsection (b) shall revert to the United States.