[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 581 Introduced in House (IH)]

<DOC>






118th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. RES. 581

  Condemning the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural 
 Organization (UNESCO) and refraining the United States from rejoining.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             July 11, 2023

 Mr. Steube submitted the following resolution; which was referred to 
                    the Committee on Foreign Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
  Condemning the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural 
 Organization (UNESCO) and refraining the United States from rejoining.

Whereas, at the end of World War II in 1945, 37 countries founded the United 
        Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO);
Whereas UNESCO did not uphold the purpose of the organization, which is ``to 
        contribute to peace and security by promoting collaboration among 
        nations through education, science and culture in order to further 
        universal respect for justice, for the rule of law and for the human 
        rights and fundamental freedoms which are affirmed for the peoples of 
        the world, without distinction of race, sex, language or religion, by 
        the Charter of the United Nations'';
Whereas UNESCO has a long history of corruption and mismanagement;
Whereas audits show ``about 40 percent of the organization's appointments and 
        promotions failed to meet UNESCO's own criteria for fair competition'', 
        and ``despite a two-yearly budget of $544 million, it cannot run its 
        program effectively'';
Whereas UNESCO is highly politicized and has held an anti-United States bias;
Whereas citing hostility toward the basic institutions of a free society, 
        especially a free market and a free press, President Ronald Reagan 
        pulled the United States out of UNESCO in 1984, and his decision 
        received bipartisan support, including nods from the New York Times, the 
        Washington Post, and the Wall Street Journal;
Whereas, in 2002, the United States rejoined UNESCO under President George W. 
        Bush;
Whereas, in 2011, the Obama administration cut funding to the organization after 
        UNESCO admitted the Palestine Authority as a full member;
Whereas UNESCO has long held an anti-Israel bias and passed 6 resolutions 
        condemning Israel in 2013;
Whereas, in 2016, the Palestine delegation sponsored a UNESCO resolution 
        referring to the Temple Mount and Western Wall only by their Muslim 
        names and negating Jerusalem's undeniable historical connection with 
        Christians and Jews;
Whereas, in 2017, UNESCO designated the ancient city of Hebron, in the Israeli-
        occupied West Bank, a Palestinian World Heritage site, denying Judaism's 
        historical tie;
Whereas UNESCO embraces human rights violators;
Whereas, in 2013, UNESCO honored Che Guevara, the chief executioner of Cuban 
        dictator Fidel Castro, both of whom committed crimes against humanity, 
        by including ``The Life and Works of Ernesto Che Guevara'' to its 
        ``Memory of the World Register'';
Whereas UNESCO remained silent on honoring victims of Communism oppression;
Whereas, in 2016, UNESCO did not include the image of the ``Tank Man'' when 
        several organizations nominated the image to be inscribed into UNESCO's 
        ``Memory of the World Register'';
Whereas UNESCO has a close relationship with the Chinese Government and 
        designated a high number of ``world heritage sites'' despite China's 
        poor human rights and cultural preservation records;
Whereas, in 2017, the Trump administration filed a notice to withdraw the United 
        States from UNESCO;
Whereas Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised the United States 
        decision and instructed his foreign ministry for Israel's withdrawal as 
        well;
Whereas officials estimate that the United States, which accounted for around 22 
        percent of the total budget, has accrued $600,000,000 in unpaid dues; 
        and
Whereas the Biden administration plans to rejoin UNESCO and pay back dues: Now, 
        therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) condemns the United Nations Educational, Scientific and 
        Cultural Organization's (UNESCO) long history of corruption, 
        mismanagement, anti-United States bias, anti-Israel bias, and 
        honoring human rights violators; and
            (2) recognizes that the United States was right to withdraw 
        from UNESCO, and the organization should not receive funding 
        from the United States taxpayers.
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