[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4169 Introduced in House (IH)]

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118th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 4169

 To repeal the 25 percent cap on United States contributions to United 
        Nations peacekeeping operations, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             June 15, 2023

 Ms. Jacobs (for herself, Ms. Kamlager-Dove, Mr. Jackson of Illinois, 
 Mr. Phillips, and Mr. Castro of Texas) introduced the following bill; 
         which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To repeal the 25 percent cap on United States contributions to United 
        Nations peacekeeping operations, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``United States Commitment to 
Peacekeeping Act of 2023''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress finds as follows:
            (1) United Nations peacekeeping operations are a critical 
        force-multiplier for the United States, and decades of research 
        has found peacekeeping to be highly effective in reducing 
        civilian deaths, shortening the duration of conflicts, 
        containing the geographic spread of war, and reducing the 
        likelihood of conflict reoccurrence and sexual and gender-based 
        violence.
            (2) The Government Accountability Office found in 2006 and 
        2018 reviews that it is 8 times cheaper to financially support 
        a United Nations mission than to deploy United States military 
        forces.
            (3) Every member state of the United Nations is legally 
        required to finance the peacekeeping budget of the United 
        Nations in order to ensure that these missions are properly 
        resourced, and assessment rates are renegotiated every 3 years 
        by the United Nations General Assembly. The United States has 
        consistently voted in favor of these rate structure changes, 
        including during the most recent round of negotiations in 2021, 
        when United States peacekeeping contributions were set at 26.94 
        percent.
            (4) Since fiscal year 2017, the United States has accrued 
        more than $1.28 billion in debt on its financial obligations to 
        United Nations peacekeeping, due to congressional enforcement 
        of a 1994 law that limits United States contributions to 25 
        percent of the total United Nations peacekeeping budget in any 
        fiscal year after 1995.
            (5) Since fiscal year 2000, Congress has, on a bipartisan 
        basis, lifted the 25 percent cap 15 times, including 
        retroactively for calendar years 2006-2008 during the Bush 
        Administration.
            (6) In 2019, the Department of State reported to Congress 
        the following impacts of growing United States arrears to the 
        United Nations: ``(1) Loss of vote or inability to be a member 
        of governing bodies; (2) Diminished U.S. standing and 
        diminished ability to pursue U.S. priorities; (3) Reduced U.S. 
        ability to promote increased oversight and accountability 
        through reforms that promote efficiency, cost savings, and 
        improved management practices; (4) Reduced standing needed to 
        successfully promote qualified U.S. citizens to assume senior 
        management roles; and (5) Impairments of peacekeeping missions 
        to operate, including addressing objectives that may directly 
        impact the national security of the United States''.
            (7) The ongoing accrual of arrears by the United States is 
        having a negative impact on the financial health of United 
        Nations peacekeeping with low and middle-income countries, who 
        voluntarily provide the bulk of the troops, police, and 
        equipment to these missions, not being adequately reimbursed 
        for their contributions and shouldering an increasing financial 
        burden.
            (8) Budgetary shortfalls created by United States arrears 
        make it difficult to address shortages of critical equipment 
        needed by United Nations peacekeeping operations to be 
        effective in the field.
            (9) Prior to Russia's invasion of Ukraine, Ukraine provided 
        nearly 17 percent of all air assets on United Nations 
        peacekeeping missions. Since the start of the war, Ukraine has 
        been forced to withdraw most of these to defend its own 
        territory, causing shortages for missions that already lacked 
        sufficient quantities of aircraft. United States budgetary 
        shortfalls make it harder for other countries to step in, as 
        they cannot be certain when or if they will receive full 
        reimbursement for their contributions.
            (10) The People's Republic of China is now the second 
        largest financial contributor to United Nations peacekeeping, 
        having gone from an assessment rate of just 3 percent in 2008 
        to more than 18 percent in 2023, and is the tenth largest 
        troop-contributor to United Nations missions, providing more 
        personnel than the other four permanent members of the Security 
        Council combined.
            (11) The People's Republic of China has used this expanded 
        influence to argue against human rights, civilian protection, 
        and gender-based violence personnel within United Nations 
        peacekeeping operations, in part using United States funding 
        shortfalls as a pretext to downsize peacekeeping missions.
            (12) United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 called 
        for women to take on a greater role in preventing and resolving 
        conflicts, including by serving in United Nations peacekeeping 
        missions. Studies conducted by the United Nations in support of 
        the resolution based on the organization's past experiences in 
        Cambodia, Kosovo, Timor-Leste, Afghanistan, Liberia, and 
        Democratic Republic of the Congo show that female peacekeepers 
        can be better positioned to gain the trust of women within the 
        local population, something that is critical to the success of 
        any peacekeeping effort.
            (13) Nevertheless, in 2020, women constituted only 4.8 
        percent of military contingents and 10.9 percent of formed 
        police units deployed on United Nations peacekeeping missions. 
        While the United Nations continues to call for member states to 
        contribute more women peacekeepers, resource and budget 
        constraints have made troop-contributors less willing to 
        provide women peacekeepers, and missions themselves lack 
        adequate resources to retrofit bases to accommodate women.
            (14) Prior to fiscal year 2017, when the United States was 
        paying its peacekeeping dues at the full assessed rate, the 
        United States and the United Nations worked together to 
        institute a number of cost-saving and efficiency reforms, 
        including reducing the cost per peacekeeper by 18 percent, 
        reducing the number of support staff, and shortening the 
        timeline between when a mission is mandated and when personnel, 
        equipment, and services are fully deployed.
            (15) Beginning in 2015 and with the support of the United 
        States, the United Nations strengthened measures to combat 
        sexual abuse and exploitation by peacekeepers, including strict 
        timelines for completing investigations, immediate response 
        teams inside peacekeeping missions to handle allegations, 
        suspending payments to countries whose troops face credible 
        allegations of misconduct; repatriation of units engaged in 
        systematic abuse, establishing an online database to track 
        allegations and investigations, appointing the first Special 
        Coordinator on Improving the United Nations Response to Sexual 
        Exploitation and Abuse and the first Victims' Rights Advocate, 
        and establishing a trust fund to support and assist victims.
            (16) Improving the United States financial standing at the 
        United Nations would allow the United States to more 
        effectively advocate for a range of reform efforts, including 
        supporting strategies that have been particularly effective in 
        reducing sexual and gender-based violence where peacekeepers 
        operate, while also continuing to strengthen measures to end 
        instances of sexual exploitation and abuse in United Nations 
        peacekeeping operations.
            (17) Improving the United States financial standing at the 
        United Nations would also support efforts to increase 
        representation of Americans in key roles at the United Nations 
        Secretariat.
            (18) In 2024, the scale of assessments negotiations will 
        occur again and a demonstrated willingness to pay United States 
        assessments in full will play an important role in garnering 
        support from other United Nations member states.

SEC. 3. STATEMENT OF POLICY CONCERNING UNITED STATES ENGAGEMENT 
              REGARDING UNITED NATIONS PEACEKEEPING OPERATIONS.

    (a) In General.--It is the policy of the United States that the 
Permanent Representative of the United States to the United Nations--
            (1) support the development and implementation of standard 
        performance assessment systems and investigative measures to 
        identify exemplary performance and address mission-specific and 
        system-wide weaknesses;
            (2) support the full implementation of a management reform 
        agenda that decentralizes decision-making authority, simplifies 
        and streamlines policy and processes, and strengthens 
        accountability and transparency for managing United Nations 
        offices and functions;
            (3) advocate for the development of a common political 
        strategy in-country among relevant actors, including regional 
        organizations, United Nation member states, international 
        financial institutions, and United Nations agencies, funds, and 
        programs;
            (4) advocate for robust engagement with host countries and 
        local communities, including by advocating for resources to be 
        directed to community-led peace initiatives;
            (5) support efforts to deploy more mobile, adaptable, and 
        agile forces for more effective United Nations peacekeeping 
        operations;
            (6) support the development of a system-wide strategy on 
        sustainable peacekeeping transitions that ensure planning and 
        decision-making is based on measurable benchmarks, including 
        ensuring the protection of civilians;
            (7) lead and advocate for efforts to promote and protect 
        internationally recognized human rights standards regarding 
        United Nations peacekeeping operations, including the robust 
        funding and support of human rights positions;
            (8) advocate for efforts to develop a more comprehensive 
        plan for accountability and justice, particularly relating to 
        tracking misconduct and inclusion of survivors in decision-
        making, for peacekeepers and other United Nations staff 
        involved in sexual exploitation, abuse, or other violations of 
        human rights that contravene United Nations and United States 
        rules, regulations, or values;
            (9) engage in dialogue with United Nations member states to 
        secure a more favorable modification of United Nations scales 
        of assessments of the peacekeeping budget that works to 
        diversify the funding base and create a sustainable funding 
        plan; and
            (10) support implementation of United Nations Security 
        Council Resolution 1325 by working with the United Nations and 
        United Nations member states to increase the meaningful 
        participation of women in United Nations peacekeeping 
        operations.
    (b) Advocacy of Peacekeeping Reforms at the United Nations.--The 
Secretary of State shall instruct the Permanent Representative of the 
United States to the United Nations to use the voice, vote, and 
influence of the United States at the United Nations to accomplish the 
policy specified in subsection (a), consistent with the national 
security interests of the United States.

SEC. 4. REPEAL OF THE 25 PERCENT CAP ON UNITED STATES CONTRIBUTIONS TO 
              UNITED NATIONS PEACEKEEPING OPERATIONS.

    (a) In General.--Subsection (b) of section 404 of the Foreign 
Relations Authorization Act, Fiscal Years 1994 and 1995 (Public Law 
103-236; 22 U.S.C. 287e note; relating to a limitation on United States 
contributions to United Nations peacekeeping operations) is repealed.
    (b) Technical and Conforming Amendment.--Section 404 of the Foreign 
Relations Authorization Act, Fiscal Years 1994 and 1995 is amended by 
striking--
    ``(a) Reassessment of Contributions Percentages.--''.

SEC. 5. REPORTS ON UNITED STATES EFFORTS TO ACHIEVE UNITED NATIONS 
              PEACEKEEPING REFORM.

    Section 4 of the United Nations Participation Act of 1945 (22 
U.S.C. 287b) is amended--
            (1) in subsection (c)--
                    (A) in paragraph (3)--
                            (i) by striking subparagraph (B); and
                            (ii) by redesignating subparagraph (C) as 
                        subparagraph (B);
                    (B) by redesignating paragraphs (4) and (5) as 
                paragraphs (5) and (6), respectively;
                    (C) by inserting after paragraph (3) the following 
                new paragraph:
            ``(4) United nations peacekeeping reform.--A description of 
        the status of United States efforts in the United Nations to 
        ensure the United Nations--
                    ``(A) develops and implements standard peacekeeping 
                operation performance assessment systems and 
                investigative measures to identify exemplary 
                performance and address operation-specific and system-
                wide weaknesses;
                    ``(B) fully implements a management reform agenda 
                that decentralizes decision-making authority, 
                simplifies and streamlines policy and processes, and 
                strengthens accountability and transparency for 
                managing United Nations offices and functions;
                    ``(C) develops for each peacekeeping operation a 
                common political strategy in-country among relevant 
                actors, including regional organizations, United 
                Nations member states, international financial 
                institutions, and United Nations agencies, funds, and 
                programs;
                    ``(D) fully engages with host countries and local 
                communities, including directing resources to 
                community-led peace initiatives;
                    ``(E) deploys more mobile, adaptable, and agile 
                forces for more effective peacekeeping operations;
                    ``(F) develops a system-wide strategy on 
                sustainable peacekeeping transitions that ensure 
                planning and decision-making is based on measurable 
                benchmarks, including ensuring the protection of 
                civilians;
                    ``(G) implements a system-wide strategy to protect 
                internationally recognized human rights standards 
                within United Nations peacekeeping operations, 
                including robust funding and support of human rights 
                positions within each peacekeeping operation;
                    ``(H) develops a more comprehensive plan for 
                accountability and justice, particularly relating to 
                tracking misconduct and inclusion of survivors in 
                decision-making, for peacekeepers and other United 
                Nations staff involved in sexual exploitation, abuse, 
                or other violations of human rights that contravene 
                United Nations and United States rules, regulations, or 
                values;
                    ``(I) modifies the United Nations scales of 
                assessments of the peacekeeping budget to diversify the 
                funding base and create a sustainable funding plan; and
                    ``(J) implements United Nations Security Council 
                Resolution 1325 by increasing the meaningful 
                participation of women in United Nations peacekeeping 
                operations.''.
            (2) in subsection (d)(5)--
                    (A) in the heading, by striking ``and quarterly 
                reports''; and
                    (B) by striking subparagraph (B).

SEC. 6. REPORTING REQUIREMENTS.

    (a) Strengthening Conflict Prevention in United Nations Missions.--
Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, 
the Secretary of State shall submit to the appropriate congressional 
committees a report analyzing the ways in which conflict prevention 
aspects of United Nations missions may be strengthened. Such report 
shall include--
            (1) an analysis of the performance of existing early 
        warning and rapid response systems and recommendations for the 
        improvement of such systems;
            (2) an analysis on the performance of the civilian 
        components of United Nations special political missions and 
        peacekeeping operations and recommendations for strengthening 
        such components;
            (3) recommendations on how other United Nations entities, 
        including the United Nations Peacebuilding Fund, special 
        political missions, and other agencies, funds, and programs 
        could be better coordinated in a joint strategy; and
            (4) an assessment of the costs and benefits of the 
        Department of State and the United States Agency for 
        International Development sharing risk analysis data with 
        select multilateral organizations, under specific 
        circumstances, to better promote conflict prevention before 
        peacekeeping engagement is needed.
    (b) Ensuring Considerations for Mission Transitions Are Based on 
Comprehensive Assessments of Conflict Dynamics and Risks to 
Civilians.--Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of 
this Act, the Secretary of State shall submit to the appropriate 
congressional committees a report that analyzes the observed 
challenges, costs, and benefits of transitioning United Nations 
peacekeeping operations to host-country security forces, including--
            (1) case studies of communities that maintained peace and 
        stabilization gains compared with communities that experienced 
        a resurgence in instability, violence, or conflict at least 5 
        years after such a transition;
            (2) an analysis of the transition process and the 
        effectiveness of measures to maintain long-term peace; and
            (3) an assessment of any additional resources needed to 
        maintain peace and stabilization gains achieved after such a 
        transition.
    (c) Appropriate Congressional Committees Defined.--In this section, 
the term ``appropriate congressional committees'' means--
            (1) the Committee on Foreign Relations and the Committee on 
        Appropriations of the Senate; and
            (2) the Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Committee on 
        Appropriations of the House of Representatives.
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