[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 66 (Tuesday, May 15, 2001)]
[House]
[Pages H2149-H2150]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                             LINDA SHENWICK

  Mr. STEARNS. Mr. Speaker, having some concern by the recent UN votes 
that denied the United States a seat on both the Human Rights 
Commission and the Narcotics Trafficking Commission, many of my 
colleagues are again questioning how the U.S. should approach its 
participation in the United Nations.
  In reality, while there is sufficient reason to assess blame on 
certain functions within the UN, we should also look to our own 
government. In 1999, during the State Department authorization debate, 
I brought to the attention of my colleagues the treatment of a 
dedicated State Department employee, Ms. Linda Shenwick.
  Ms. Shenwick is an exemplary public servant, having served in the 
United States mission to the United Nations handling personnel and 
budget issues. She quickly carved out a reputation for diligence and 
hard work.
  She earned three consecutive outstanding ratings and a promotion to 
the Senior Executive Service. Ms. Shenwick's reputation earned the 
respect of other UN member states resulting in her election to serve on 
the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions in 
1991 and again then in 1993.
  In her position she repeatedly found evidence of deliberate waste, 
fraud and mismanagement at the UN. Her reports, however, were largely 
ignored by the previous administration.
  Without recourse to address these incidents on her own, Ms. Shenwick 
began notifying key Members of Congress regarding her discoveries. As a 
result of her work, Congress forced the UN to create an Office of 
Inspector General to end such fraud and mismanagement.
  So how was one of the most valuable civil servants rewarded? Certain 
government officials and department employees embarked on a campaign to 
sabotage her career.
  Ms. Shenwick has endured false accusations, unsubstantiated poor 
performance reviews, and the ultimate and, I believe, illegal removal 
from government service.
  I would like to point out, Mr. Speaker, to my colleagues that when 
former Secretary Madeline Albright refused to renominate Ms. Shenwick 
to the UN Budget Committee, negating 5 years of experience with the 
Byzantine UN budgetary bureaucracy, the U.S. ended up losing its seat 
on the Budget Committee for the next 4 years.
  In all honesty, I do not think we would be seeing current problems at 
the U.S. mission if we had more employees like Linda Shenwick. Ms. 
Shenwick is a person that believes in the United Nations and wants to 
serve to bolster the influence of the United States and to strengthen 
the organization as a whole.
  The problems of waste, fraud and mismanagement have been highlighted 
by most of my colleagues here on the House floor over the years.

[[Page H2150]]

  Why, then, do we not insist that the Department of State staff the 
U.S. mission with those individuals who know where to look for these 
problems and have the courage and have the dedication to serve and to 
report them to Congress?
  Ms. Shenwick should be reinstated to her former position, reimbursed 
for her personal expenses, and we should have her personnel files 
expunged of any unsatisfactory reviews or other false evidence to 
justify those reviews.
  I will be sending a letter to President Bush requesting reinstatement 
of Ms. Shenwick so the United States can again benefit from her 
expertise, her diligence, and highly exemplary service.
  Mr. Speaker, I am also introducing a concurrent resolution to the 
same effect. I hope my colleagues will join with me in signing this 
letter to the President and also cosponsor my legislation.

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