[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 86 (Thursday, June 19, 1997)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1258]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    FOREIGN RELATIONS AUTHORIZATION ACT, FISCAL YEARS 1998 AND 1999

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                        HON. CAROLYN B. MALONEY

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, June 11, 1997

       The House in Committee of the Whole House on the State of 
     the Union had under consideration the bill (H.R. 1757) to 
     consolidate international affairs agencies, to authorize 
     appropriations for the Department of State and related 
     agencies for fiscal years 1998 and 1999, and for other 
     purposes:

  Mrs. MALONEY of New York. Mr. Chairman, I rise today in opposition to 
the Stearns amendment to H.R. 1757; the Foreign Relations Authorization 
Act.
  This amendment urges the United Nations to act as a part-time body 
with a revolving headquarters. It is bad policy and it is a bad idea.
  The United Nations has been instrumental in the promotion of peace 
and security, economic and social development and human rights around 
the world. It is not a part-time job.
  I'm proud to represent the United Nations and the U.N. community on 
the upper east side of Manhattan. I am also proud that the United 
States has had such a tremendous impact on the United Nations. With the 
new Secretary General in place at the United Nations, we have an 
outstanding opportunity to continue the United States' influence at the 
United Nations.
  Mr. Speaker, clearly there is room for meaningful reform within the 
United Nations. But I believe that the only way for the United States 
to play a major role in this reform effort is to first develop a real 
package to fulfill our financial obligation to the United Nations.
  Currently, the United States owes $1.3 billion in back dues. The 
prompt payment of the United States arrears owed to the United Nations 
must remain our priority. I recently learned that failure to pay our 
dues has forced the United Nations to borrow from its peacekeeping 
budget to pay its operating expenses. This is outrageous and we must 
not allow it to continue.
  The United Nations has already carried out many critical reforms. It 
has reduced the number of employees at its headquarters by more than 10 
percent, and has maintained a no-growth operating budget for the last 2 
years. That amounts to serious reform in a relatively short period of 
time. And I expect that these and other reforms will continue.
  I was pleased to send a letter to the chairman of the Appropriations 
Committees asking that the United States fulfill its financial 
obligation to the United Nations. I have also cosponsored a bill to 
authorize appropriations for the payment of past arrearage and assessed 
contributions for peacekeeping operations in the future.
  I am proud to call the U.N. community my constituents, and I will 
continue to support any measures aimed at ensuring full U.S. payment of 
its dues and arrears to the United Nations.

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