[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 160 (Thursday, November 13, 1997)]
[Senate]
[Pages S12546-S12547]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                           FOREIGN OPERATIONS

  Mr. GRAMS. Madam President, I rise to talk a little bit today about 
how I am extremely disappointed that the House passed the foreign 
operations conference report without the provisions of the State 
Department authorization bill attached to it.
  While the foreign operations bill does many positive things, its 
failure to include language to reorganize our foreign relations 
bureaucracy and establish benchmarks for the payment of U.N. arrears 
seriously flaws this bill.
  The proposals to reorganize our foreign policy apparatus and to 
attach the payment of U.S. arrears to U.N. reforms had been carefully 
worked out over many months.
  Unfortunately, my colleagues in the House of Representatives are 
holding these provisions hostage to the Mexico City policy. While I am 
a strong supporter of the Mexico City policy, I believe that debate on 
this issue should not hold up the important United States and U.N. 
foreign policy reforms.
  Now, if the State Department authorization bill dies in the House, 
the House has lost the Mexico City policy debate, and the only victory 
they can claim is that they have given the United Nations new money for 
the United States assessments, but with no reform strings attached, and 
they block a reorganization of our foreign policy apparatus that we 
have pursued for more than four years.
  That isn't a record they should regard with pride.
  As chairman of the International Organization Subcommittee, I worked 
hard to help forge a solid, bipartisan United Nations reform package. 
The Senate's message in crafting this legislation is simple and 
straightforward:
  The United States can help make the United Nations a more effective, 
more

[[Page S12547]]

efficient, and financially sounder organization, but only if the United 
Nations and other member states, in return, are willing to finally 
become accountable to the American taxpayers.
  The reforms proposed by the United States are critical to ensure the 
United Nations is effective and relevant. We must reform the United 
Nations now and the United States has the responsibility to play a 
major role in this effort.
  If we do nothing, and the United Nations collapses under its own 
weight, then we will have only ourselves to blame. So I urge my 
colleagues to act now, or this window of opportunity may be lost for 
achieving true reform at the United Nations.
  But passing this U.N. package is not just about a series of reforms 
for the future. It impacts directly on the credibility of the U.S. 
mission at the United Nations right now.
  Ambassador Richardson has been pushing other member states to accept 
the reforms in this package in return for the payment of arrears. Now 
that package will not arrive.
  At this critical juncture, when the United Nations is facing down 
Saddam Hussein, and the United States is trying to keep the gulf war 
coalition unified, it is reckless for the House of Representatives to 
do anything that would undercut the negotiating position of Ambassador 
Richardson and Secretary of State Albright at the United Nations. And 
believe me, the failure to pass this legislation will have a negative 
impact on the conduct of our foreign policy.
  Madam President, the United States does not owe most of these arrears 
to the United Nations. It owes them to our allies, like France, for 
reimbursement for peacekeeping expenses.
  Under normal circumstances, I am the last one who could be expected 
to make a pitch for funding for France. But considering that France is 
one of the members on the Security Council that is going soft on Iraq--
soft on Saddam Hussein--depriving the United States Government the 
ability to use these funds as leverage is irresponsible. After all, our 
diplomats need carrots as well as sticks to achieve our foreign policy 
goals.
  Madam President, I am hopeful that my colleagues in the House will 
see the wisdom of adopting measures that will enhance America's ability 
to exert leadership in the international arena through the 
consolidation of our foreign relations apparatus and the revitalization 
of the United Nations.
  The State Department authorization bill should be allowed to pass or 
fail on its own merit--not on the merits of the Mexico City policy. 
This agreement is in America's best interest, and the best interest of 
the entire international community.
  Madam President, I yield the floor.
  I see no other Senators wishing to speak, so I suggest the absence of 
a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. DOMENICI. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the order 
for the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  Mr. DOMENICI. Madam President, is there an order operative at this 
moment?
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senate is in morning business until 4 p.m.
  Mr. DOMENICI. Are the times limited on speeches?
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The special order provides for 10 minutes for 
each Senator to speak.
  Mr. DOMENICI. I yield myself the 10 minutes that I am allowed.

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