[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 33 (Monday, March 23, 1998)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E437]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       TIME TO PAY OUR U.N. DUES

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. LEE H. HAMILTON

                               of indiana

                    in the house of representatives

                         Monday, March 23, 1998

  Mr. HAMILTON. Mr. Speaker, it is time to pay the dues that we owe to 
the United Nations.
  A number of us have worked hard to try to get needed reforms in the 
United Nations. Those efforts are being undercut by our continued 
failure to pay our past bills. We are alienating our allies and eroding 
our ability to lead in the world by our refusal to pay our debts.
  I ask permission to include in the Record a letter from a wide 
variety of organizations calling on Congress to take action to pay the 
United Nations what we owe that organization.

                                                       March 1998.
       Dear Members of Congress: We, the undersigned 
     organizations, urge you to work actively with your colleagues 
     and the Administration to insure that the United States 
     government meets its legally binding financial obligations to 
     the United Nations in full this spring. It is time for 
     Congress to affirmatively settle the issue of U.S. arrears.
       Public opinion polls consistently find that a large 
     majority of Americans supports both the U.N. and a strong, 
     continuing role for the U.S. in the U.N. Recently, 83% 
     indicated that strengthening the U.N. should be a priority 
     for the U.S. (Pew Research, 1997). We, the organizations 
     listed below, with hundreds of thousands of members, 
     constituents, and congregations across the country, represent 
     a significant portion of this broad, bipartisan consensus.
       The payment of U.S. arrears to the U.N. is currently being 
     blocked by an unrelated, highly controversial issue which has 
     been linked to passage of the U.N. arrears supplemental 
     appropriations request (proposed restrictions on the 
     activities of private voluntary organizations that administer 
     international family planning programs). An impasse has 
     resulted from the continuing political stalemate over this 
     unrelated issue.
       We urge you to call upon the congressional leadership to 
     separate these two unrelated issues before more damage is 
     done to the credibility of the U.S. government in world 
     affairs. Just as Congress would not allow an unrelated, 
     controversial political issue to block government payments on 
     the public debt, so Congress should not allow this issue to 
     block the fulfillment of the U.S. obligation to the U.N. In 
     either case, the credibility and trust in the U.S. Government 
     would be at risk. Such is the case now for the U.S. in world 
     affairs.
       We are deeply concerned that the U.S. government's failure 
     to pay its U.N. dues has already soured U.S. relations with 
     its allies and the broader community of nations. Further, we 
     are concerned that this failure to pay has undermined respect 
     for the rule of law in international affairs, exacerbated the 
     U.N.'s financial crisis, and undermined the organization's 
     valuable work.
       The U.N. is an indispensable organization for advancing 
     U.S. interests in world affairs. It provides a mechanism 
     through which the U.S. can work cooperatively with other 
     countries to address issues that no single country can 
     address alone--such as preserving international security, 
     advancing human rights, containing the spread of infectious 
     diseases, caring for refugees, prosecuting war crimes, 
     protecting the global environment, and promoting 
     international development. The U.N. provides the U.S. with an 
     essential burden-sharing mechanism, whereby U.S. taxpayers do 
     not have to pay the entire cost of addressing global 
     problems.
       Our country and the world community need your leadership 
     now. The U.S. government must meet its legal obligation to 
     the U.N. The cost of further delay could be significant--both 
     for the achievement of U.S. foreign policy goals and for the 
     future of international cooperation. If you lead, the public 
     will support you, and Congress will follow.
       Africa Faith and Justice Network, American Baptist Churches 
     USA, National Ministries, Americans for Democratic Action, 
     American Friends Service Committee, Campaign for American 
     Leadership Abroad (COLEAD), Campaign for UN Reform, Church of 
     the Brethren, Washington Office, Church Women United, 
     Columban Fathers' Justice and Peace Office, Demilitarization 
     for Democracy, Friends Committee on National Legislation, 
     Fund for New Priorities in America, International Religious 
     Liberty Association, The League of Women Voters of the United 
     States, The Lutheran Office for Governmental Affairs, 
     Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, Maryknoll Justice and 
     Peace Office, Methodists United for Peace With Justice, 
     Mennonite Central Committee, National Audubon Society 
     Population and Habitat Campaign, National Council of the 
     Churches of Christ in the USA, and National Spiritual 
     Assembly of the Baha'is of the United States.
       Peace Action, Planned Parenthood Federation of America, 
     Presbyterian Church (USA), Psychologists for Social 
     Responsibility, Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism, 
     Union of American Hebrew Congregations, 20/20 Vision, Union 
     of Concerned Scientists, Unitarian Universalist Association 
     of Congregations, United Church of Christ, Office of Church 
     in Society, United Methodist Church, Women's Division, United 
     Nations Association, National Capital Area, United Nations 
     Association-USA, Veterans for Peace, Washington Office on 
     Latin America, Women Strike for Peace, Women's Action for New 
     Directions (WAND), Women's Institute for Freedom of the 
     Press, World Federalist Association, and World Learning.

     

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