[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 81 (Friday, June 17, 2005)]
[House]
[Pages H4679-H4705]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
HENRY J. HYDE UNITED NATIONS REFORM ACT OF 2005
The Committee resumed its sitting.
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The Acting CHAIRMAN (Mr. Simpson). It is now in order to consider
amendment No. 9 printed in Part 2 of House Report 109-132.
Part 2, Amendment No. 9 Offered by Mr. Gohmert
Mr. GOHMERT. Mr. Chairman, I offer an amendment.
The Acting CHAIRMAN. The Clerk will designate the amendment.
The text of the amendment is as follows:
Part 2, amendment No. 9 offered by Mr. Gohmert:
Page 76, after line 9, add the following new title (and
conform the table of contents accordingly):
TITLE VII--UNITED NATIONS VOTING ACCOUNTABILITY ACT OF 2005
SEC. 701. SHORT TITLE.
This title may be cited as the ``United Nations Voting
Accountability Act of 2005''.
SEC. 702. PROHIBITION ON ASSISTANCE TO COUNTRIES THAT OPPOSE
THE POSITION OF THE UNITED STATES IN THE UNITED
NATIONS.
(a) Prohibition.--United States assistance may not be
provided to a country that opposed the position of the United
States in the United Nations.
(b) Change in Government.--If--
(1) the Secretary of State determines that, since the
beginning of the most recent session of the General Assembly,
there has been a fundamental change in the leadership and
policies of the government of a country to which the
prohibition in subsection (a) applies, and
(2) the Secretary believes that because of that change the
government of that country will no longer oppose the position
of the United States in the United Nations,
the Secretary may exempt that country from that prohibition.
Any such exemption shall be effective only until submission
of the next report under section 406 of the Foreign Relations
Authorization Act, Fiscal Years 1990 and 1991 (22 U.S.C.
2414a). The Secretary shall submit to the Congress a
certification of each exemption made under this subsection.
Such certification shall be accompanied by a discussion of
the basis for the Secretary's determination and belief with
respect to such exemption.
(c) Definitions.--As used in this section--
(1) the term ``opposed the position of the United States''
means, in the case of a country, that the country's votes in
the United Nations General Assembly during the most recent
session of the General Assembly and, in the case of a country
which is a member of the United Nations Security Council, the
country's votes in the Security Council during the most
recent session of the General Assembly, were the same as the
position of the United States less than 50 percent of the
time, using for this purpose the overall percentage-of-voting
coincidences set forth in the annual report submitted to the
Congress
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pursuant to section 406 of the Foreign Relations
Authorization Act, Fiscal Years 1990 and 1991;
(2) the term ``most recent session of the General
Assembly'' means the most recently completed plenary session
of the General Assembly for which overall percentage-of-
voting coincidences is set forth in the most recent report
submitted to the Congress pursuant to section 406 of the
Foreign Relations Authorization Act, Fiscal Years 1990 and
1991; and
(3) the term ``United States assistance'' means assistance
under--
(A) chapter 4 of part II of the Foreign Assistance Act of
1961 (relating to the economic support fund);
(B) chapter 5 of part II of that Act (relating to
international military education and training); or
(C) the ``Foreign Military Financing Program'' account
under section 23 of the Arms Export Control Act.
(d) Effective Date.--This section takes effect upon the
date of the submission to the Congress of the report pursuant
to section 406 of the Foreign Relations Authorization Act,
Fiscal Years 1990 and 1991, that is required to be submitted
by March 31, 2006.
The Acting CHAIRMAN. Pursuant to House Resolution 319, the gentleman
from Texas (Mr. Gohmert), and a Member opposed each will control 5
minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Gohmert).
(Mr. GOHMERT asked and was given permission to revise and extend his
remarks.)
Mr. GOHMERT. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
The United Nations, at its inception, was one of the most noble
undertakings in modern human history. Its vision was of world
governments working in concert to ameliorate, if not eradicate, world
problems. This ideal, however, has over its more recent course become a
body where some member nations appear more focused on institutional
anti-Americanism than addressing the growing maladies that face the
world's citizens.
If the U.N. member nations insist upon open antagonism toward the
United States at seemingly every turn, then the time has come to
reexamine our role as their benefactor. It is counterintuitive to
financially reward countries whose motivation is in opposition to
American efforts. In order to correct this problem of incongruity, I
propose a simple solution.
My amendment would cause the United States to end all financial
assistance to those countries who vote against us more than 50 percent
of the time in the United Nations. That also includes an end to
training the soldiers of nations who oppose us. The ban on our funding
antagonistic nations, however, would not begin until March of 2006.
March 31 of 2006, the next report will come out that says how everyone
voted on each position. This will give all such countries notice of the
coming consequences of their action.
The rationale is simple. They are sovereign nations, they can make
their own decisions, but we do not have to pay them to hate us.
Throwing money at our enemies has made them more contemptuous, not
less.
I share the concerns of many Americans about the U.N., its
bureaucracy and its approach to world problems. They run counter to
U.S. values and interests. The U.N. is currently an inefficient
bureaucratic organization badly in need of reform, and too often it has
become a forum for radical anti-American rhetoric and policies that
would violate many of our Nation's most cherished freedoms, laws,
customs and recognized human rights.
My amendment simply stops the flow of American tax dollars to
countries that claim to be our allies and who are happily taking the
hard-earned tax dollars from American pockets, then using the money to
spew anti-American venom all over the world.
My constituents in east Texas have told me, I have heard it around
the country time and time again, they are fed up with this anti-
American rhetoric coming out of the U.N. that their money is paying
for. Surely we can find a better use of this money than to fund nations
that oppose all we hold dear. On numerous occasions I have had citizens
ask me why government is sending their money overseas to support
governments and countries that are against the amendments and things
for which we stand.
Some say we should be more loving and send these billions of dollars
anyway. Friends, your heart may be good, but you are not using your
head. I have relatives and friends that I love with all my heart. I
would give my life for them, but if they are doing things to demean and
destroy the very things I am fighting to preserve, I would not send
them money.
Accordingly, and in conclusion, we do not have to pay these countries
to hate us. We do not have to fund our opposition. If a foreign nation
wants to take the tax dollars of hard-working Americans, well, then
they better start helping us seek truth, justice and freedom's ways at
least 50 percent of the time.
Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.
The Acting CHAIRMAN. Who claims time in opposition to the amendment?
Mr. HYDE. Mr. Chairman, I ask unanimous consent that I be allowed to
claim the time in opposition.
The Acting CHAIRMAN. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Illinois?
There was no objection.
The Acting CHAIRMAN. The gentleman is recognized to control 5
minutes.
Mr. HYDE. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
I do not know of anything I have done more reluctantly than object to
the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Gohmert's) very good amendment, not only
well-intentioned, but it makes a statement that is very hard to
disagree with. But I must because I can conceive of circumstances where
it is in our national interest to help support another country that
does not vote with us in the U.N., but having a stable country in
certain portions of the world can be in our national interest. And I
would rather leave that flexibility with the State Department and with
the Defense Department so that these grants that are made support our
security interests and not necessarily make us feel good because we are
rewarding a country that votes with us. Egypt almost never votes with
us, but it is important to have the largest Muslim country, other than
Indonesia, supporting the aims that we have and goals in the Middle
East.
Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Chairman, will the gentleman yield?
Mr. HYDE. Yes, I yield to my friend, the gentleman from California.
Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Chairman, I am delighted to join the gentleman from
Illinois (Mr. Hyde), my distinguished chairman, in opposing this
amendment. I think the chairman, as always, shows great wisdom in
opposing this amendment. But I am particularly thrilled that the
chairman has embraced the principle of providing our Secretary of State
flexibility in dealing with this issue, and I very much hope that
during the course of the remaining few minutes of our debate, the
chairman will see the wisdom of providing Secretary Rice with
flexibility on similar issues.
I thank the gentleman for yielding.
Mr. HYDE. Mr. Chairman, the gentleman from California (Mr. Lantos)
has just administered the perfumed icepick.
Mr. DELAHUNT. Mr. Chairman, will the gentleman yield?
Mr. HYDE. I yield to the gentleman from Massachusetts.
Mr. DELAHUNT. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman for yielding, and I
support him in his opposition. I point out that the nation of Colombia,
for whom we have provided billions of dollars in terms of dealing with
the interdiction and eradication of drugs, would fall because they vote
against us 90 percent of the time. I presume that most of that aid
would be eliminated by this amendment.
And I would also point out for those of you who support CAFTA that at
least five of the countries I have been able to determine here vote
against us, so that if we extend the logic of the gentleman's argument,
I would suggest that maybe during the course of that debate, when it
comes to the floor, if it should come to the floor, that that should be
a precondition to approval of the CAFTA trade agreement.
Mr. HYDE. Mr. Chairman, if I may reclaim my time, I want to say to
the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Gohmert), this is a marvelous amendment.
The spirit in which it is offered is exemplary, and it is a very
difficult thing to oppose it. But I see a problem with it that needs a
little work. But I congratulate him and the spirit in which his good
amendment was offered, but I
[[Page H4681]]
hope it is not accepted in its present form.
Mr. Chairman, I yield the balance of my time.
The Acting CHAIRMAN. The gentleman from Texas has 1 minute remaining.
Mr. GOHMERT. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
In response, and of course I have nothing but utmost respect for the
gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Hyde), and it is a pleasure for me to
support your amendment, and all three of the distinguished gentlemen
that spoke bring up a good point. The Secretary of State does need
flexibility, and that is why in this amendment I provided flexibility.
If the Secretary of State certifies that there has been such a change
in the regime attitudewise, personnelwise, that he or she firmly
believes that the next session they will be voting with us more than
half the time, then that makes an exception, and they will get funding.
Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Chairman, will the gentleman yield?
Mr. GOHMERT. Well, I am nearly done. But that makes an exception.
That gives them flexibility.
Mr. Chairman, I yield to the gentleman from California.
Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Chairman, I just heard the gentleman advocating for
flexibility for our Secretary of State. Does this flexibility extend to
the bill as a whole, in the gentleman's view?
Mr. GOHMERT. It extends in whole if they are going to vote with us
more than 50 percent of the time.
The Acting CHAIRMAN. All time for debate on the amendment has
expired.
The question is on the amendment offered by the gentleman from Texas
(Mr. Gohmert).
The question was taken; and the Acting Chairman announced that the
noes appeared to have it.
Mr. GOHMERT. Mr. Chairman, I demand a recorded vote.
The Acting CHAIRMAN. Pursuant to clause 6 of rule XVIII, further
proceedings on the amendment offered by the gentleman from Texas (Mr.
Gohmert) will be postponed.
The Acting CHAIRMAN. It is now in order to consider amendment No. 10
printed in Part 2 of House Report 109-132.
Part 2 Amendment No. 10 Offered by Mr. Kucinich
Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Chairman, I offer an amendment.
The Acting CHAIRMAN. The Clerk will designate the amendment.
The text of the amendment is as follows:
Part 2 Amendment No. 10 offered by Mr. Kucinich:
At the end of title I, add the following new section:
SEC. 110. STRENGTHENING OF INTERNATIONAL LABOR RIGHTS.
(a) In General.--The President shall direct the United
States Permanent Representative to the United Nations to use
the voice, vote, and influence of the United States at the
United Nations to work to strengthen and expand the Social
Protection sector of the International Labor Organization
(ILO) in order to allow the ILO to issue more field and
regional units of the ILO, to increase site inspections of
working conditions, and to issue more reports on such
conditions to the international community.
(b) Certification.--In accordance with section 601, a
certification shall be required that certifies that the
following requirements have been satisfied:
(1) Member States are broadening the scope and the
instruments of social security schemes, improving and
diversifying benefits, strengthening governance and
management, and developing policies to combat adverse effects
of social and economic insecurity.
(2) ILO constituents are targeting and taking effective
action to improve the safety and health conditions at work,
with special attention to the most hazardous conditions in
the workplace.
In section 601(a)(1), insert ``section 110,'' after
``104(e),''.
In section 601(a)(3)(A), strike ``39'' and insert ``40''.
In section 601(a)(3)(A), strike ``ten'' and insert ``11''.
The Acting CHAIRMAN. Pursuant to House Resolution 319, the gentleman
from Ohio (Mr. Kucinich) and the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Ros-
Lehtinen) each will control 5 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Kucinich).
Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
The Kucinich amendment would add another requirement for U.N. reform,
that the International Labor Organization must be strengthened and
expanded; specifically, the social protection sector. It is not the
intention of this amendment to limit the U.S. contribution to the U.N.
The intention of my amendment is to make it the policy of the United
States at the U.N. to place the highest priority on the improvement of
international labor rights. Therefore, it is necessary that this
amendment has the same certification requirement for the strengthening
of the International Labor Organization as the other reform criteria
have. Labor rights, which are the same as human rights, should not be
treated with any less importance.
The ILO does an important job, and they do it well. My amendment
would urge the U.S. representative to the U.N. to use the voice, vote
and influence of the United States to encourage the International Labor
Organization to do even more. I believe the most important work of the
ILO is in the social protection sector, which is responsible for coming
up with the tools, instruments and policies to ensure that men and
women have working conditions that are as safe as possible, that
respect human dignity, take into account family and social values,
allow for adequate compensation in the case of lost or reduced income,
permit access to adequate social and medical services, and respect the
right to free time and rest. In a global economic context of
sweatshops, child labor, exploitative labor practices and unfettered
capitalism, the work of the ILO social protection sector is vastly
important.
The social protection sector sends on-site inspectors to investigate
labor conditions around the globe. The hard evidence gathered by these
inspectors is published in highly regarded in-depth reports for
consumption by policymakers, decisionmakers, journalists and various
labor and human rights groups throughout the international community.
These reports have served as a basis for labor rights campaigns. They
have served as a basis for government reforms. They have served as a
basis for campaigns against unfair trade agreements with exploitative
labor provisions.
The following are examples of recent reports in paper published by
the ILO: Global Report 2005, a global alliance against slave labor; an
economic study of the costs and benefits of eliminating child labor; a
report by the Director General, A Fair Globalization, the Role of the
ILO; Towards a Fair Deal for Migrant Workers in a Global Economy;
Eleventh Synthesis Report on the Working Condition Situation in
Cambodia's Garment Sector.
The ILO is responsible for gathering evidence for and disseminating
the following facts: that there are 48,000 children working in
floriculture in Cayambe and Cotopaxi in Ecuador. Conditions in Cotopaxi
are worse than in Cayambe. In Cotopaxi all employees are involved in
all stages of production, including fumigation, and younger children
fumigate most frequently. In medical exams of 105 children between the
ages of 9 and 18, 27 percent had experienced migraines, 50 percent
blackouts; 32 percent experienced shaking.
It is estimated that in Brazil as many as 25,000 persons are
subjected to slave labor conditions, mostly in the Amazonian States of
Para and Mato Grosso.
In a number of countries freer trade has replaced or undercut
domestic industrial and agricultural industries displacing workers,
while structural adjustment programs have restricted government
spending to cushion unemployment.
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Job creation in some countries under Structure Adjustment Programs
has lagged behind the increased number of unemployed, and the net
result of these job losses due to trade and structural change has been
a large number of people without opportunities for decent work in their
homelands.
It was estimated at the end of 1998 that some 1 billion workers, or
one-third of the world's labor force, were either unemployed or
underemployed.
It is essential that we know about preexisting labor and living
conditions in different regions around the world as steps are taken
towards a globalized economy. It is essential that the world learn
about the negative consequences that accompany this economic model. The
ILO is the foremost international
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institution responsible for gathering information and making
recommendations amid this context.
The only thing wrong with the ILO is that while its recommendations
and conventions are important, they are not enforceable. Nevertheless,
the ILO's work is significant, influential and does make a difference.
Mr. Chairman, we should be encouraging and expanding the important
work of the ILO so that we will make better informed decisions and
develop more sound policies to eradicate the worst labor abuses around
the world. With the expansion of the social protection sector, more
field and regional units would be established, which would allow more
on-site inspections to occur and more reports to be published. A
strengthened ILO would have a civilizing effect on corporate behavior.
Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
As someone who appreciates the work performed by the International
Labor Organization and efforts to bring about and secure labor rights
for oppressed people in countries under dictatorial rule, it is with
difficulty that I rise in opposition of the gentleman's amendment, but
I must.
Had the amendment called on the U.S. permanent representative to the
U.N. to work to strengthen the ILO, to increase site inspections, as we
had wanted to do, I am confident that we would have gladly supported
the gentleman's amendment.
However, this amendment before us today does not seek to reform the
ILO, but seeks to use the U.N. to dictate and determine domestic
policies of the U.N. member states, policies such as Social Security
schemes and employee benefits; and these are issues that in the U.S.,
for example, we in the Congress are working on and are responsible for.
We should not use legislation that seeks to reform the U.N., an
international institution, as a means of influencing very specific
domestic policy initiatives.
The bill before us, the Henry Hyde U.N. Reform Act of 2005, deals
with bringing accountability to the U.N.'s budget process. It does not
concern itself with dictating internal, substantive outcomes on the
U.N.'s budget process.
In short, today, we are focused on reforming how the U.S., how the
U.N. makes the decisions, not on what decisions it makes or what the
member states make.
The gentleman from Ohio would have been, I believe, better served by
offering his amendment, as others have, by it having called upon the
President to direct the U.S. permanent representative to work to ensure
enhanced funding for the international labor rights organization, which
I believe is a worthy goal, and on that very issue, in fact, this is
already being done.
The amendment suggests that the ILO is not doing enough in the social
protection sector. However, the 2006-2007 budget that was agreed to
shows a significant increase in the budget for the activities of this
sector.
The 2004-2005 budget for the protection sector was $72.7 million in
2006, and the 2007 budget is $91 million.
Overall, the International Labor Organization budget increased 12
percent from $529 million during the 2004 and 2005 biennium to $594
million in 2006 and 2007. That is $297 million per year.
The amendment also requires an increase in the field presence by the
ILO. However, the organization is currently undertaking a review of the
field structures to determine the most effective overseas profile, and
this amendment would have the effect of preempting the outcome of this
study.
I have been a proud supporter of labor organizations. We want to make
sure that they help the oppressed people in all of these countries and
do not abuse their people. However, I do not think that this amendment,
dictating what member states do with their domestic policies, would get
to the heart of the gentleman's amendment.
Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Chairman, will the gentlewoman yield?
Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. I yield to the gentleman from California.
Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Chairman, I appreciate my good friend for yielding.
I merely wish to express my support for the gentleman's amendment. I
think it is worthwhile and ask my colleagues to vote for it.
Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.
The Acting CHAIRMAN (Mr. Simpson). The question is on the amendment
offered by the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Kucinich).
The amendment was rejected.
The Acting CHAIRMAN. It is now in order to consider amendment No. 11
printed in Part 2 of House Report 109-132.
Part 2, Amendment No. 11 Offered by Mr. Pearce
Mr. PEARCE. Mr. Chairman, I offer an amendment.
The Acting CHAIRMAN. The Clerk will designate the amendment.
The text of the amendment is as follows:
Part 2, amendment No. 11 offered by Mr. Pearce:
In section 201, add at the end the following new
subsection:
(f) Prohibition on Contact With Member States Subject to
Sanctions.--An employee from of any United Nations entity,
bureau, division, department, or specialized agency may not
have unauthorized contact, including business contact, with a
Member State that is subject to United Nations sanctions.
The Acting CHAIRMAN. Pursuant to House Resolution 319, the gentleman
from New Mexico (Mr. Pearce) and the gentleman from California (Mr.
Lantos) each will control 5 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from New Mexico (Mr. Pearce).
Mr. PEARCE. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
I rise with this amendment today that would prohibit any employee of
a United Nations entity, bureau, division, department, or specialized
agency from having any unauthorized contact, particularly business
contact, with a government that is subject to United Nations sanctions.
The purpose and ideals of the United Nations are to maintain
international peace and security and to engage in collective action to
preserve both.
It also is to promote friendly relations among nations founded upon
the principles of human rights and self-determination.
Finally, it is to achieve multilateral cooperation on the critical
global crises of our age.
I support these goals and ideals, but these purposes are being
undermined and threatened by corruption and mismanagement within the
U.N. today. That is why I am here today in support of this overall
legislation and offering this particular amendment.
One of the most blatant examples of fraud, corruption, and abuse in
the United Nations is that of the United Nations employees enriching
themselves through personal deals with rogue governments.
In 1991, the United Nations placed sanctions on Iraq for Saddam
Hussein's persistent noncompliance with the provisions of the cease-
fire that ended the first Gulf War.
In an effort to mitigate the sanctions impact on the Iraqi
population, the Oil-for-Food program was created in 1996 to allow the
Iraqis to sell oil in order to pay for humanitarian goods. Under the
auspices of the United Nations, the oil was to be sold with the
proceeds to be deposited with the Banque National de Paris.
Humanitarian goods were then to be supplied to Iraq using those funds.
However, Saddam Hussein was allowed to choose his own business
partners for this program, those buyers for Iraq's oil, as well as the
suppliers of humanitarian goods.
For each 180-day phase of the program, Iraq developed a list of
allocations identifying companies and individuals to whom it would be
willing to sell oil. Saddam personally reviewed who would receive the
oil.
Mr. Hussein would then complete oil contracts based on the
allocations list. As this process evolved, Saddam began to give special
allocations for the benefit of particular individuals or entities that
were perceived to support his brutal regime.
It is abominable for U.S. taxpayers' funds to be used to pay U.N.
employees who take advantage of international sanctions and make deals
to receive kickbacks.
That is exactly what happened with the U.N. Oil-for-Food program.
While visiting Iraq in the course of his official duties, director of
the Oil-for-Food program, Mr. Benon Sevan, requested special
allocations from the Iraq oil ministry for African Middle
[[Page H4683]]
East Petroleum Company to help a friend. That friend turned out to be
former Secretary-General Boutros Boutros Gali's nephew.
It was later found by the Independent Inquiry Committee into the U.N.
Oil-for-Food program that what Mr. Sevan sought was more than just for
his friend.
Mr. Sevan was in a position of influence and could lift restrictions
on various parts of the Oil-for-Food program.
So the Saddam Hussein regime granted the oil allocations to AMEP and
Mr. Sevan. AMEP purchased the oil from Iraq, but then sold it to oil
companies for as much as $750,000 per transaction more than what they
paid for it, all while giving the proceeds to Mr. Sevan for making the
deal. Additional oil allocations granted through the years of the
program as restrictions were lifted on aspects of the Oil-for-Food
program.
When the program came under scrutiny, Mr. Sevan blocked the proposed
audit of his office.
Because of these personal deals, Saddam was able to skirt around the
restrictions of sanctions, siphoning off as much as $10 billion in the
form of illicit revenue while the Iraqi people starved.
Saddam Hussein used much of this money to purchase weapons, many of
which are being used to kill Americans and Iraqis today as the Allied
forces continue to fight terrorism in that country.
Actions such as Mr. Sevan's personal dealings with the sanctioned
Iraqi Government undermine the United Nations' purposes.
I ask that my colleagues support this amendment that makes clear to
the United Nations that the United States will not tolerate U.N.
employees making deals with rogue governments subject to U.N.
sanctions.
Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Chairman, I am delighted to yield as much time as she
may consume to the gentlewoman from New York (Mrs. Lowey), my friend
and colleague.
Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Chairman, I thank the ranking member for yielding the
time, and I want to express my enormous respect for the gentleman from
Illinois (Mr. Hyde), my dear friend, with whom I agree on some things
but not on this issue, although the majority of the bill I know is
consistent with the gentleman from California's (Mr. Lantos) and my
view, although I do rise in strong support of the Lantos substitute and
in opposition to the underlying bill, but it is with great respect; and
I appreciate the opportunity to work with my colleague on this and many
other issues.
It is no secret that the United Nations is going through a period of
intense soul-searching, precipitated by increasing evidence that it has
become an ineffective and unwieldy institution that long ago lost sight
of its reason for being.
When the world changes, its institutions must change with it or
become irrelevant, and so the U.N. has embarked on a mission to adapt
to the changing times. As the Nation most involved in the founding of
the U.N., the United States has an obligation to play a key role in
this reform process.
Reform cannot, frankly, come quickly enough. The U.N. suffers today
from a credibility gap around the world and for good reason. The
Volcker Commission has exposed some uncomfortable truths about the Oil-
for-Food program. The U.N. has dragged its feet in addressing some of
our world's worst crises, such as the Darfur genocide, and has been
impotent on human rights issues; and the record of the U.N. and many of
its member states with respect to Israel has, frankly, been abominable.
In many ways, the U.N. is broken; but we must remember that it
remains and must remain a central actor in global affairs. The
organization has provided critical resources to nations coping with
great poverty and social dislocation.
The U.N. Population Fund has reduced the number of unintended
pregnancies around the world through basic family planning services.
UNICEF is the premier organization combating childhood disease in
poor countries.
Agencies like the United Nations Development Program have raised
living standards by improving governance, health, and education.
For millions around the world, the U.N. is not some distance
bureaucracy. It is a hot meal for a hungry family. It is a doctor for a
pregnant mother. It is protection for a first-time voter, and it is
peace for a war-ravaged village. Indeed, even when the U.N. efforts
fall short, and they often do, progress toward international
cooperation is made, and recognition of common interests and values is
encouraged.
As many have said, the U.N. is the kind of organization we would have
to invent if it did not already exist. A strong U.N. is good for the
United States and good for the world.
So enacting the Hyde bill, which is more about punishment than
reform, simply does not serve, in my judgment, the best interests of
this country.
In requiring a mandatory 50 percent cut in the United States dues to
the U.N., unless 32 of 39 specific reforms are achieved, the Hyde bill
provides no flexibility whatever to the State Department to negotiate
with other U.N. member states. Rather than providing Secretary Rice a
tool to encourage ongoing U.N. reform negotiations, it ties her hands.
The Lantos substitute would call for most of the same reforms as the
Hyde bill, while providing the Secretary of State with room to maneuver
to get real reforms passed.
{time} 1230
It is a common-sense way to achieve the changes we all agree are
needed with the right balance of diplomacy and muscle. And while I
support the goals of the chairman, I cannot endorse his means, and I
urge my colleagues to support the Lantos substitute and defeat the
underlying bill.
Mr. PEARCE. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself the balance of my time to
wrap up my comments by saying that we all know what corruption looks
like, smells like, and acts like. We are seeing corruption at many
different levels in the U.N., and I would request that all Members
support this amendment, which would limit the unauthorized contact
between the United Nation employees and the nations which have been
sanctioned.
Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.
The Acting CHAIRMAN (Mr. Simpson). The question is on the amendment
offered by the gentleman from New Mexico (Mr. Pearce).
The amendment was agreed to.
The Acting CHAIRMAN. It is now in order to consider amendment No. 12
printed in Part 2 of House Report 109-132.
Part 2, Amendment No. 12 Offered by Mr. Stearns
Mr. STEARNS. Mr. Chairman, I offer an amendment.
The Acting CHAIRMAN. The Clerk will designate the amendment.
The text of the amendment is as follows:
Part 2, amendment No. 12 offered by Mr. Stearns:
In section 601(b)(1) (relating to the withholding of United
States contributions to the regular assessed budget of the
United Nations), strike ``50 percent'' and insert ``75
percent''.
In section 601(b)(3), strike ``11 percent'' and insert
``5.5 percent''.
In section 601(b)(4)(B), strike ``50 percent'' and insert
``75 percent''.
In section 601(d)(2), strike ``50 percent'' and insert ``75
percent''.
The Acting CHAIRMAN. Pursuant to the House Resolution 319, the
gentleman from Florida (Mr. Stearns) and a Member opposed each will
control 5 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Stearns).
Mr. STEARNS. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Chairman, I have a chart here which the gentleman from Illinois
(Mr. Hyde) prepared, and I think you can see all the scandals at the
United Nations. This has been shown several times. I think it is a good
reminder to all of us that the U.N. is obviously in need of serious
reform. I commend Chairman Hyde and his reform bill for doing just
that. I think it ensures the reforms that we need.
My amendment is very simple. The main part of the Hyde bill is to
withhold U.S. contributions to the regular assessed budget of the U.N.
unless they make real and substantial reforms in the way they operate.
So his underlying legislation calls for a 50 percent
[[Page H4684]]
withholding, and my amendment simply increases that to 75 percent. I
think you can think over it in terms of a glass half full, half empty,
his 50 percent. My amendment would make it 75 percent empty, which I
think for most people is a real clear sign we should do something. So
it is not just adding more teeth, it is also one of symbolism.
I think just to review, we all know the U.N. is not as effective as
it could be, not to mention all these scandals. The number one scandal
is the Oil-for-Food program that we are still investigating, and we
still have not got to the bottom of this scandal.
I think the American people, understandably, have sort of lost faith
in the United Nations. It does not seem to be fulfilling its founding
mission, as long as it continues to coddle dictators and appease
terrorists. There is an ever-growing list of grievances against the
United Nations, and suggested reform is desperately needed. If not, we
will continue to pour hundreds of millions of American taxpayers'
dollars down into what I call a bottomless pit. So leveraging our dues
this way is the only way we can ensure the U.N. makes the necessary
change.
Now, the question would be what is the difference, as I mentioned,
between 50 and 75 percent? I think in real dollars and real impact,
this will be more important, to move it to 75 percent. For many of us
who feel strongly about this, it gives a little more weight to it.
I would also say, Mr. Chairman, that I had a dream last night, and
this dream was of the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Hyde), the
distinguished chairman of the Committee on the international Relations.
In this dream he was puzzling how much to withhold from the U.N. until
they enact the necessary reform--so in his great wisdom. As he sat in
his chair in my dream, he set in a magnificent chair, and there were
clouds and harps all around him, and he was deliberating very carefully
whether to do 50 percent or 75 percent. He finally decided, after much
deliberation, to do 50 percent. But I could tell in this dream that in
his heart of hearts he wanted to have 75 percent.
So, Mr. Chairman, the dream I had of you convinced me that I should
come down to the House floor today and offer 75 percent as a humble way
to extend your feelings that were in my dream.
Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Chairman, will the gentleman yield?
Mr. STEARNS. I yield to the gentleman from California.
Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Chairman, I want to commend my good friend from
Florida for an improved version of the underlying Hyde bill.
I refer to the Hyde bill as a guillotine on autopilot, and I think it
is in the true American spirit that the gentleman now has a more
effective, faster-working, more suicidal guillotine which he is
offering to this body.
I do not think this proposal deserves really any serious comment. If,
in fact, 38\1/2\ of the 39 Hyde commandments are fulfilled, we should
not automatically chop off 75 percent of our dues to the United
Nations.
Mr. STEARNS. Mr. Chairman, I wish to reclaim my time, because the
gentleman from California (Mr. Lantos) is very eloquent, and I would
like to continue to have a little less say on my amendment. If he is
accepting my amendment, I would sure appreciate his support.
Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. HYDE. Mr. Chairman, I claim the time in opposition, and I yield
myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Chairman, it is with painful reluctance that I object to my dear
friend's dreams and his emanating bill. He is on the right track, God
knows, but it is overkill. I think 50 percent bites just enough; 75
percent might kill the patient. And so with reluctance and admiration,
and a hope that he gets a good night's sleep tonight, undisturbed by
dreams, I must object to the amendment.
Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Chairman, will the gentleman yield?
Mr. HYDE. With pleasure, I yield to the gentleman from California.
Mr. LANTOS. I thank the chairman for yielding to me.
Mr. Chairman, this is yet another occasion that Chairman Hyde and I
stand shoulder to shoulder on attempting to reform the United Nations.
I strongly concur with the chairman, this is overkill. It is over-
overkill.
Using the gentleman's logic, it is difficult to see why he is not
proposing a 95 percent automatic dues cut-off. But maybe upon
reflection he might propose that on a future occasion.
Mr. HYDE. Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. STEARNS. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself the balance of my time, and
I would say to the gentleman from California (Mr. Lantos) that tonight
I will try to get more sleep, because I have spent so much more time
dreaming, and perhaps tonight he will be in my dreams. And I will be
dreaming that he wished that we would have had the amendment at 95
percent instead of the 50 percent.
My colleagues, when you come down to the House floor to vote on the
amendment, I want you to vote ``yes'' for the Stearns amendment because
in your heart of hearts, in fact in the heart of hearts of Chairman
Hyde in my dream, he wanted 75 percent.
Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.
The Acting CHAIRMAN. The question is on the amendment offered by the
gentleman from Florida (Mr. Stearns).
The question was taken; and the Acting Chairman announced that the
noes appeared to have it.
Mr. STEARNS. Mr. Chairman, I demand a recorded vote.
The Acting CHAIRMAN. Pursuant to clause 6 of rule XVIII, further
proceedings on the amendment offered by the gentleman from Florida (Mr.
Stearns) will be postponed.
It is now in order to consider amendment No. 13 printed in Part 2 of
House Report 109-132.
Part 2, Amendment No. 13 in the Nature of a Substitute Offered by Mr.
Lantos
Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Chairman, I offer an amendment in the nature of a
substitute.
The Acting CHAIRMAN. The Clerk will designate the amendment in the
nature of a substitute.
The text of the amendment in the nature of a substitute is as
follows:
Part 2, amendment No. 13 in the nature of a substitute
offered by Mr. Lantos:
Strike all after the enacting clause and insert the
following:
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS.
(a) Short Title.--This Act may be cited as the ``United
Nations Reform and Institutional Strengthening Act of 2005''.
(b) Table of Contents.--The table of contents for this Act
is as follows:
Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.
Sec. 2. Definitions.
Sec. 3. Statement of Congress.
TITLE I--MISSION AND BUDGET OF THE UNITED NATIONS
Sec. 101. United States financial contributions to the United Nations.
Sec. 102. Weighted voting.
Sec. 103. Certification requirements.
Sec. 104. Accountability.
Sec. 105. Terrorism and the United Nations.
Sec. 106. Equality at the United Nations.
Sec. 107. Reforms at the specialized agencies.
Sec. 108. Report on United Nations reform.
Sec. 109. Report on United Nations personnel.
Sec. 110. Anti-Semitism and the United Nations.
Sec. 111. United Nations cooperation relating to oil-for-food
investigation.
TITLE II--HUMAN RIGHTS AND THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCIL
Sec. 201. Human Rights.
Sec. 202. Economic and Social Council (ecosoc).
Sec. 203. International responsibility to protect.
TITLE III--INTERNATIONAL ATOMIC ENERGY AGENCY
Sec. 301. International atomic energy agency.
Sec. 302. Sense of Congress regarding the Nuclear Security Action Plan
of the IAEA.
TITLE IV--PEACEKEEPING
Sec. 401. Sense of Congress regarding reform of United Nations
Peacekeeping Operations.
Sec. 402. Statement of policy relating to reform of United Nations
Peacekeeping Operations.
Sec. 403. Certification.
Sec. 404. United States Contributions to United Nations Peacekeeping
Operations.
Sec. 405. Genocide and the United Nations.
Sec. 406. Rule of construction relating to protection of United States
officials and members of the Armed Forces.
TITLE V--DEPARTMENT OF STATE AND GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTABILITY OFFICE
Sec. 501. Positions for United States citizens at international
organizations.
[[Page H4685]]
Sec. 502. Budget justification for regular assessed budget of the
United Nations.
Sec. 503. Review and report.
Sec. 504. Government accountability office.
TITLE VI--CERTIFICATIONS AND WITHHOLDING OF CONTRIBUTIONS
Sec. 601. Certifications and withholding of Contributions.
Sec. 602. Diplomatic Campaign to Achieve Reform.
TITLE VII--UNITED NATIONS RENEWAL AND TOOLS TO FULLY IMPLEMENT UNITED
NATIONS REFORM
Sec. 701. Synchronization of U.S. assessed Contributions to
International Organizations.
Sec. 702. Increased funding for United States assessed contribution to
the United Nations to support reform efforts.
Sec. 703. Buyout of United Nations personnel.
Sec. 704. United Nations democracy fund.
Sec. 705. United States personnel to international organizations.
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) Appropriate congressional committees.--The term
``appropriate congressional committees'' means the Committee
on International Relations of the House of Representatives
and the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate.
(2) Economic and social council.--The term ``Economic and
Social Council'' means the Economic and Social Council of the
United Nations.
(3) Employee.--The term ``employee'' means an individual
who is employed in the general services, professional staff,
or senior management of the United Nations.
(4) General assembly.--The term ``General Assembly'' means
the General Assembly of the United Nations.
(5) Member state.--The term ``Member State'' means a Member
State of the United Nations.
(6) Office of internal oversight services.--The terms
``Office of Internal Oversight Services'' and ``OIOS'' mean
the Office of Internal Oversight Services of the United
Nations.
(7) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary
of State.
(8) Secretary general.--The term ``Secretary General''
means the Secretary General of the United Nations.
(9) Security council.--The term ``Security Council'' means
the Security Council of the United Nations.
(10) Specialized agency.--The term ``specialized agency''
means any of the following agencies of the United Nations:
(A) The Food and Agriculture Organization, or FAO.
(B) The International Atomic Energy Agency, or IAEA.
(C) The International Civil Aviation Organization, or ICAO.
(D) The International Fund for Agricultural Development, or
IFAD.
(E) The International Labor Organization, or ILO.
(F) The International Maritime Organization, or IMO.
(G) The International Telecommunication Union, or ITU.
(H) The United Nations Educational, Scientific, and
Cultural Organization, or UNESCO.
(I) The United Nations Industrial Development Organization,
or UNIDO.
(J) The Universal Postal Union, or UPU.
(K) The World Health Organization, or WHO.
(L) The World Meteorological Organization, or WMO.
(M) The World Intellectual Property Organization, or WIPO.
SEC. 3. STATEMENT OF CONGRESS.
Congress declares that, in light of recent history, it is
incumbent upon the United Nations to enact significant reform
measures if it is to restore the public trust and confidence
necessary for it to achieve the laudable goals set forth in
its Charter.
TITLE I--MISSION AND BUDGET OF THE UNITED NATIONS
SEC. 101. UNITED STATES FINANCIAL CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE UNITED
NATIONS.
(a) Authorization With Respect to the Regular Assessed
Budget of the United Nations.--The Secretary is authorized to
make contributions toward the amount assessed to the United
States by the United Nations for the purpose of funding the
regular assessed budget of the United Nations.
(b) United States Financial Contributions to the United
Nations.--Section 11 of the United Nations Participation Act
of 1945 (22 U.S.C. 287e-3) is amended to read as follows:
``SEC. 11. UNITED STATES FINANCIAL CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE
UNITED NATIONS.
``(a) Policy of the United States Relating to the Regular
Assessed Budget of the United Nations.--
``(1) In general.--The President shall direct the United
States Permanent Representative to the United Nations to use
the voice, vote, and influence of the United States at the
United Nations--
``(A) to pursue a streamlined, efficient, and accountable
regular assessed budget of the United Nations;
``(B) to make efforts to shift funding mechanisms of some
of the organizational programs of the United Nations from the
regular assessed budget to voluntarily funded programs; and
``(C) to shift funding from entities whose efforts are
found duplicative or unbalanced under section 106(b) of the
United Nations Reform and Institutional Strengthening Act of
2005 to programs under subsection (b) of this section or
other related programs.
``(2) Future biennium budgets.--The President shall direct
the United States Permanent Representative to the United
Nations to use the voice, vote, and influence of the United
States at the United Nations to seek to shift funding
mechanisms of operational programs of the United Nations and
to reduce the funding for programs specified in subsection
(c) in future resolutions agreed to by the General Assembly
for the regular assessed budget of the United Nations.
``(b) Eligible Organizational Programs.--To the extent that
any organizational programs are shifted from the regular
assessed budget to voluntarily funded programs, the Secretary
shall seek to use funds created by any reduction in the
amount of the United States assessed contribution to the
United Nations to make voluntary contributions to programs at
the United Nations which--
``(1) conduct internal oversight;
``(2) promote human rights;
``(3) provide humanitarian assistance; and
``(4) are organizational programs which have been shifted
from assessed to voluntary contributions.
``(c) Public Information and General Assembly Affairs and
Conference Services.--The President shall direct the United
States Permanent Representative to the United Nations to use
the voice, vote, and influence of the United States at the
United Nations to reduce by 20 percent the amount budgeted by
resolution of the General Assembly for the 2008-2009 biennium
compared to the amount budgeted by resolution of General
Assembly for the 2004-2005 biennial period for the following
organizational programs:
``(1) Public Information.
``(2) General Assembly affairs and conference services.''
SEC. 102. WEIGHTED VOTING.
It shall be the policy of the United States to actively
pursue weighted voting in the United Nations with respect to
all budgetary and financial matters in the Administrative and
Budgetary Committee and in the General Assembly in accordance
with the level of the financial contribution of a Member
State to the regular assessed budget of the United Nations.
SEC. 103. CERTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS.
(a) Certification.--In accordance with section 601, a
certification shall be required that certifies that the
conditions described in subsection (b) have been satisfied.
(b) Conditions.--The conditions under this subsection are
the following:
(1) New budget practices for the united nations.--The
United Nations is implementing budget practices that--
(A) require the maintenance of a budget not in excess of
the level agreed to by the General Assembly at the beginning
of each United Nations budgetary biennium, unless increases
are agreed to by consensus and do not exceed ten percent, or
unless the Secretary of State certifies that any increase
that would be inconsistent with this paragraph is important
to the national interest of the United States; and
(B) require the identification of expenditures by the
United Nations by functional categories such as personnel,
travel, and equipment.
(2) Program evaluation.--
(A) Evaluation of programs.--The Secretary General has used
the existing authorities to take measures to ensure that
program managers within the United Nations Secretariat
conduct evaluations of such programs in accordance with the
standardized methodology referred to in subparagraph (B) of
United Nations programs approved by the General Assembly.
(B) Development of evaluation criteria.--The Office of
Internal Oversight Services has developed a standardized
methodology for the evaluation of United Nations programs
approved by the General Assembly, including specific criteria
for determining the continuing relevance and effectiveness of
the programs.
(C) Report.--The Secretary General is assessing budget
requests and, on the basis of the evaluations of programs
conducted pursuant to subparagraph (A) for the relevant
preceding year, reports to the General Assembly on the
continuing relevance and effectiveness of such programs and
identifies those that need reform or should be terminated.
(D) Sunset of programs.--Consistent with the July 16, 1997,
recommendations of the Secretary General regarding a sunset
policy and results-based budgeting for United Nations
programs, the United Nations has established and is
implementing procedures to require all new programs approved
by the General Assembly to have a specific sunset date or a
date by which such programs should be evaluated for
continuing relevance and effectiveness.
SEC. 104. ACCOUNTABILITY.
(a) Certification of Creation of Independent Oversight
Board.--In accordance with section 601, a certification shall
be required that certifies that the following reforms related
to the establishment of an Independent Oversight Board (IOB)
have been adopted by the United Nations:
[[Page H4686]]
(1) An IOB or an equivalent entity is established. Except
as provided in paragraph (2), the IOB shall be an independent
entity within the United Nations and shall not be subject to
budget authority or organizational authority of any entity
within the United Nations.
(2) The head of the IOB shall be a Director. The IOB shall
also consist of four other board members who shall be
nominated by the Secretary General and subject to Security
Council approval by a majority vote. The IOB shall be
responsible to the Security Council. The Director and board
members shall each serve terms of six years, except that the
terms of the initial board shall be staggered so that the
terms of not more than two board members will expire in any
one year. No board member may serve more than two terms. An
IOB board member may be removed for cause by a majority vote
of the Security Council. The Director shall appoint a
professional staff headed by a Chief of Staff and may employ
contract staff as needed.
(3) The IOB shall receive operational and budgetary funding
through appropriations by the General Assembly and shall not
be dependent upon any other bureau, division, or department
of the United Nations for such funding.
(4) The IOB shall have the authority to evaluate all
operations of the Office of Internal Oversight Services and
the Board of External Auditors of the United Nations. Every
three months or more frequently when appropriate, the IOB
shall submit, as appropriate, to the Secretary General, the
Security Council, the General Assembly, or the Economic and
Social Council a report on its activities, relevant
observations, and recommendations relating to its audit
operations, including information relating to the inventory
and status of investigation by the Office of Internal
Oversight Services. The IOB may direct the Office of Internal
Oversight Services or the Board of External Auditors to
initiate an investigation.
(5) In extraordinary circumstances, and with the
concurrence of the Secretary General and Security Council by
majority vote, the IOB may augment the Office of Internal
Oversight Services with a special investigator and staff
consisting of individuals who are not employees of the United
Nations, to investigate matters involving senior officials of
the United Nations when allegations of serious misconduct
have been made and such a special investigation is necessary
to maintain public confidence in the integrity of the
investigation. A special investigation staff shall comply
with all United Nations financial disclosure and conflict of
interest rules, including the filing of an individual annual
financial disclosure form in accordance with subsection (c).
(6) The IOB shall recommend annual budgets for the Office
of Internal Oversight Services and the Board of External
Auditors.
(b) Certification of United Nations Reforms of the Office
of Internal Oversight Services.--In accordance with section
601, a certification shall be required that certifies that
the following reforms related to the Office of Internal
Oversight Services (OIOS) have been adopted by the United
Nations:
(1) The OIOS is designated as an independent entity within
the United Nations. The OIOS shall not be subject to budget
authority or organizational authority of any entity within
the United Nations.
(2) The head of the OIOS shall be a Director.
(3) The OIOS shall receive operational and budgetary
funding through appropriations by the General Assembly and
shall not be dependent upon any other bureau, division,
department, or specialized agency for such funding.
(4) All United Nations officials, including officials from
any bureau, division, or department of the United Nations,
may--
(A) make a recommendation to the OIOS to initiate an
investigation of any aspect of the United Nations; or
(B) report to the OIOS information or allegations of
misconduct or inefficiencies within the United Nations.
(5) The OIOS may, sua sponte, initiate and conduct an
investigation of any bureau, division, department, or
employee (including the Secretary General) of the United
Nations or contractor or consultant for the United Nations.
(6) At least every three months and more frequently when
appropriate, the OIOS or another responsible office shall
submit to the IOB a report containing an inventory and status
of its investigations.
(7) The OIOS shall establish or approve procedures for
providing ``whistle-blower'' status and employment
protections for all employees of the United Nations, who
provide informational leads and testimony related to
allegations of wrongdoing. Such procedures shall be adopted
throughout the United Nations. Such status and protection may
not be conferred on the Secretary General.
(8) The OIOS shall annually publish a public report
determining the proper number, distribution, and expertise of
auditors within the OIOS necessary to carry out present and
future duties of the OIOS, including assessing the staffing
requirements needed to audit United Nations contracting
activities throughout the contract cycle from the bid process
to contract performance.
(9) The Director of OIOS shall establish a position of
Associate Director of OIOS for Specialized Agencies and Funds
and Programs, who shall be responsible for supervising the
OIOS liaison and oversight duties for each specialized agency
and funds and programs of the United Nations. With the
concurrence of the Director and the relevant specialized
agency, the Associate Director may hire and appoint necessary
OIOS staff, including staff serving within and located at a
specialized agency and funds and programs permanently or as
needed to liaison with existing audit functions with each
specialized agency and funds and programs.
(10) Not later than six months after the date of the
enactment of this Act, the Director shall establish a
position of Associate Director of OIOS for Peacekeeping
Operations or an equivalent position, who shall be
responsible for the oversight and auditing of the field
offices attached to United Nations peacekeeping operations.
The Associate Director of OIOS for Peacekeeping Operations
shall--
(A) receive informational leads and testimony from any
person regarding allegations of wrongdoing by United Nations
officials or peacekeeping troops or regarding inefficiencies
associated with United Nations peacekeeping operations; and
(B) shall be responsible for initiating, conducting, and
overseeing investigations within peacekeeping operations.
(11)(A) Not later than six months after the date of the
enactment of this Act, the Director shall establish a
position of Associate Director of OIOS for Procurement and
Contract Integrity or an equivalent position, who shall be
responsible for auditing and inspecting procurement and
contracting within the United Nations. The Associate Director
of OIOS for Procurement and Contract Integrity shall--
(i) receive informational leads and testimony from any
person regarding allegations of wrongdoing by United Nations
officials or regarding inefficiencies associated with United
Nations procurement or contracting activities; and
(ii) be responsible for initiating, conducting, and
overseeing investigations of procurement and contract
activities.
(B) Not later than 12 months after the establishment of the
position of Associate Director of OIOS for Procurement and
Contract Integrity, the Director, with the assistance of the
Associate Director of OIOS for Procurement and Contract
Integrity, shall undertake a review of contract procedures to
ensure that practices and policies are in place to ensure
that--
(i) the United Nations has ceased issuing single bid
contracts, except during an emergency situation that is
justified by the Under Secretary General for Management;
(ii) the United Nations has established effective controls
to prevent conflicts of interest in the award of contracts;
and
(iii) the United Nations has established effective
procedures and policies to ensure effective and comprehensive
oversight and monitoring of United Nations contract
performance.
(c) Certification of Establishment of United Nations Office
of Ethics.--In accordance with section 601, a certification
shall be required that certifies that the following reforms
related to the establishment of a United Nations Office of
Ethics or an equivalent entity (UNOE) have been established
by the United Nations:
(1) A UNOE is established. The UNOE shall be an independent
entity within the United Nations and shall not be subject to
budget authority or organizational authority of any entity
within the United Nations. The UNEO shall be responsible for
establishing, managing, and enforcing a code of ethics for
all employees of the United Nations. The UNEO shall be
responsible for providing such employees with annual training
related to such code. The head of the UNEO shall be a
Director.
(2) The UNEO shall receive operational and budgetary
funding through appropriations by the General Assembly and
shall not be dependent upon any other bureau, division,
department, or specialized agency of the United Nations for
such funding.
(3) The Director of the UNEO shall, not later than six
months after the date of its establishment, publish a report
containing proposals for implementing a system for the filing
and review of individual annual financial disclosure forms by
each employee of the United Nations at the P-5 level and
above and by all consultants for the United Nations
compensated at any salary level. Such forms shall be made
available at the request of the Director of the Office of
Internal Oversight Services. Such system shall seek to
identify and prevent conflicts of interest by United Nations
employees and shall be comparable to the system used for such
purposes by the United States Government. Such report shall
also address broader reforms of the ethics program for the
United Nations, including--
(A) the effect of the establishment of ethics officers
throughout all organizations within the United Nations;
(B) the effect of retention by the UNEO of annual financial
disclosure forms;
(C) proposals for making completed annual financial
disclosure forms of each employee and consultant available to
the public, on request, through the mission to the United
Nations of the Member State of which the employee or
consultant is a national;
(D) proposals for annual disclosure to the public of
information related to the annual salaries and payments,
including pension payments and buyouts, of employees of and
consultants for the United Nations;
[[Page H4687]]
(E) proposals for annual disclosure to the public of
information related to per diem rates for all bureaus,
divisions, departments, or specialized agencies within the
United Nations;
(F) proposals for disclosure upon request by the Ambassador
of a Member State of information related to travel and per
diem payments made from United Nations funds to any person;
and
(G) proposals for annual disclosure to the public of
information related to travel and per diem payments made from
United Nations funds to any person.
(d) Certification of United Nations Establishment of
Position of Chief Operating Officer.--In accordance with
section 601, a certification shall be required that certifies
that the following reforms related to the establishment of
the position of a Chief Operating Officer or an equivalent
position have been adopted by the United Nations:
(1) There is established the position of Chief Operating
Officer (COO). The COO shall report to the Secretary General.
(2) The COO shall be responsible for formulating general
policies and programs for the United Nations in coordination
with the Secretary General and in consultation with the
Security Council and the General Assembly. The COO shall be
responsible for the daily administration, operation and
supervision, and the direction and control of the business of
the United Nations. The COO shall also perform such other
duties and may exercise such other powers as from time to
time may be assigned to the COO by the Secretary General.
SEC. 105. TERRORISM AND THE UNITED NATIONS.
The President shall direct the United States Permanent
Representative to the United Nations to use the voice, vote,
and influence of the United States at the United Nations to
work toward adoption by the General Assembly of--
(1) a definition of terrorism that builds upon the
recommendations of the Secretary General's High-Level Panel
on Threats, Challenges, and Change, and includes as an
essential component of such definition any action that is
intended to cause death or serious bodily harm to civilians
with the purpose of intimidating a population or compelling a
government or an international organization to do, or abstain
from doing, any act; and
(2) a comprehensive convention on terrorism that includes
the definition described in paragraph (1).
SEC. 106. EQUALITY AT THE UNITED NATIONS.
(a) Inclusion of Israel in WEOG.--
(1) In general.--The President shall direct the United
States Permanent Representative to the United Nations to use
the voice, vote, and influence of the United States to expand
the Western European and Others Group (WEOG) in the United
Nations to include Israel as a permanent member with full
rights and privileges.
(2) Notification to congress.--Not later than six months
after the date of the enactment of this Act and every six
months thereafter for the succeeding 2-year period, the
Secretary of State shall notify the appropriate congressional
committees concerning the treatment of Israel in the United
Nations and the expansion of WEOG to include Israel as a
permanent member.
(b) Department of State Review and Report.--
(1) In general.--To avoid duplicative efforts and funding
with respect to Palestinian interests and to ensure balance
in the approach to Israeli-Palestinian issues, the Secretary
shall conduct an audit of the functions of the entities
listed in paragraph (2) and submit to the appropriate
congressional committees, not later than 60 days after
enactment of this Act, a report containing recommendations
for the elimination of such entities.
(2) Entities.--The entities referred to in paragraph (1)
are the following:
(A) The United Nations Division for Palestinian Rights.
(B) The Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights
of the Palestinian People.
(C) The United Nations Special Coordinator for the Middle
East Peace Process and Personal Representative to the
Palestine Liberation Organization and the Palestinian
Authority.
(D) The NGO Network on the Question of Palestine.
(E) The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for
Palestinian Refugees in the Near East.
(F) The Special Committee to Investigate Israeli Practices
Affecting the Human Rights of the Palestinian People and
Other Arabs of the Occupied Territories.
(G) Such other entities as the Secretary determines to
constitute duplicative efforts and funding or fail to ensure
balance in the approach to Israeli-Palestinian issues.
(c) Implementation by Permanent Representative.--
(1) In general.--The President shall direct the United
States Permanent Representative to the United Nations to use
the voice, vote, and influence of the United States at the
United Nations to seek the implementation of the
recommendations contained in the report required under
subsection (b)(1).
(2) Withholding of funds.--Until such recommendations have
been implemented, the Secretary of State is authorized to
withhold from United States contributions to the regular
assessed budget of the United Nations for a biennial period
amounts that are proportional to the percentage of such
budget that are expended for such entities.
(d) GAO Audit.--The Comptroller General of the United
States shall conduct an audit of--
(1) the status of the implementation of the recommendations
contained in the report required under subsection (b)(1); and
(2) United States action and achievements under subsection
(c).
SEC. 107. REFORMS AT THE SPECIALIZED AGENCIES.
(a) Budget Reform.--The Secretary of State shall direct the
United States representative to each specialized agency to
use the voice, vote, and influence of the United States
ensure that each specialized agency--
(1) has developed a standardized methodology for the
evaluation of the programs of the agency, including specific
criteria for determining the continuing relevance and
effectiveness of the programs, patterned on the work of the
Office of Internal Oversight Services of the United Nations
under section 103;
(2) provides the results of such evaluations to the
governing body of such agency; and
(3) has established and is implementing procedures to
require all new programs of such agency have a specific
sunset date.
(b) Accountability.--The Secretary of State shall direct
the United States representative to each specialized agency
to use the voice, vote and influence of the United States to
ensure that each specialized agency--
(1) has a strengthened internal inspection capability or
has agreed to allow the Office on Internal Oversight Services
of the United Nations to conduct an investigation or audit of
any program in such agency, including any employee or
contractor of, or consultant for, such agency; and
(2) has adopted whistleblower protections patterned on the
protections developed by OIOS under section 104 of this Act.
(c) Ethics.--The Secretary shall direct the United States
representative to each specialized agency to use the voice,
vote and influence of the United States to ensure that each
specialized agency--
(1) is using a system for the filing and review of
individual annual financial disclosure forms developed by the
United Nations Ethics Office established by section 104 of
this Act or a system patterned after such system; and
(2) has established its own ethics office or is using the
services of the United Nations Ethics Office to review and
otherwise implement the ethics system described in paragraph
(1).
(d) Authority.--If the Secretary is unable to certify that
one or more of the policies described in this section has
been implemented for any specialized agency, the Secretary is
authorized to withhold up to 50 percent of the United States
contribution to the regular assessed budget of such
specialized agency, beginning with funds appropriated for
such contribution for fiscal year 2008.
SEC. 108. REPORT ON UNITED NATIONS REFORM.
(a) In General.--Not later than 180 days after the date of
the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to the
appropriate congressional committees a report on United
Nations reform since 1990.
(b) Contents.--The report required under paragraph (1)
shall describe--
(1) the status of the implementation of management reforms
within the United Nations and its specialized agencies;
(2) the number of outputs, reports, or other items
generated by General Assembly resolutions that have been
eliminated;
(3) the progress of the General Assembly to modernize and
streamline the committee structure and its specific
recommendations on oversight and committee outputs,
consistent with the March 2005 report of the Secretary
General entitled ``In larger freedom: towards development,
security and human rights for all'';
(4) the status of the review by the General Assembly of all
mandates older than five years and how resources have been
redirected to new challenges, consistent with the March 2005
report of the Secretary General referred to in paragraph (3);
and
(5) the continued utility and relevance of the Economic and
Financial Committee and the Social, Humanitarian, and
Cultural Committee, in light of the duplicative agendas of
those committees and the Economic and Social Council.
(c) Update.--Not later than one year after submitting the
report under subsection (a), the Secretary shall submit to
the appropriate congressional committees a report updating
the information included in the first report.
SEC. 109. REPORT ON UNITED NATIONS PERSONNEL.
(a) In General.--Not later than one year after the date of
the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State shall
submit to the appropriate congressional committees a report--
(1) concerning the progress of the General Assembly to
modernize human resource practices, consistent with the March
2005 report of the Secretary General entitled ``In larger
freedom: towards development, security and human rights for
all''; and
(2) containing the information described in subsection (b).
(b) Contents.--The report shall include--
(1) a comprehensive evaluation of human resources reforms
at the United Nations, including an evaluation of--
(A) tenure;
(B) performance reviews;
(C) the promotion system;
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(D) a merit-based hiring system and enhanced regulations
concerning termination of employment of employees; and
(E) the implementation of a code of conduct and ethics
training;
(2) the implementation of a system of procedures for filing
complaints and protective measures for work-place harassment,
including sexual harassment;
(3) policy recommendations relating to the establishment of
a rotation requirement for nonadministrative positions;
(4) policy recommendations relating to the establishment of
a prohibition preventing personnel and officials assigned to
the mission of a Member State to the United Nations from
transferring to a position within the United Nations
Secretariat that is compensated at the P-5 level or above;
(5) policy recommendations relating to a reduction in
travel allowances and attendant oversight with respect to
accommodations and airline flights; and
(6) an evaluation of the recommendations of the Secretary
General relating to greater flexibility for the Secretary
General in staffing decisions to accommodate changing
priorities.
SEC. 110. ANTI-SEMITISM AND THE UNITED NATIONS.
(a) In General.--The President shall direct the United
States Permanent Representative to the United Nations to use
the voice, vote, and influence of the United States at the
United Nations to make every effort to--
(1) ensure the issuance and implementation of a directive
by the Secretary General or the Secretariat, as appropriate,
that--
(A) requires all employees of the United Nations and its
specialized agencies to officially and publicly condemn anti-
Semitic statements made at any session of the United Nations
or its specialized agencies, or at any other session
sponsored by the United Nations;
(B) requires employees of the United Nations and its
specialized agencies to be subject to punitive action,
including immediate dismissal, for making anti-Semitic
statements or references;
(C) proposes specific recommendations to the General
Assembly for the establishment of mechanisms to hold
accountable employees and officials of the United Nations and
its specialized agencies, or Member States, that make such
anti-Semitic statements or references in any forum of the
United Nations or of its specialized agencies; and
(D) develops and implements education awareness programs
about the Holocaust and anti-Semitism throughout the world,
as part of an effort to combat intolerance and hatred;
(2) work to secure the adoption of a resolution by the
General Assembly that establishes the mechanisms described in
paragraph (1)(C); and
(3) continue working toward further reduction of anti-
Semitic language and anti-Israel resolutions in the United
Nations and its specialized agencies.
(b) Certification.--In accordance with section 601, a
certification shall be required that certifies that the
requirements described in subsection (a) have been satisfied.
SEC. 111. UNITED NATIONS COOPERATION RELATING TO OIL-FOR-FOOD
INVESTIGATION.
The President shall direct the United States Permanent
Representative to the United Nations to make efforts to
ensure that the United Nations provides all appropriate and
necessary information to the relevant law enforcement
authority of a Member State relating to a prosecution
initiated by such authority regarding the oil-for-food
program of the United Nations and that the United Nations
waives immunity regarding any official charged with a serious
criminal offense under such prosecution.
TITLE II--HUMAN RIGHTS AND THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCIL
SEC. 201. HUMAN RIGHTS.
(a) Statement of Policy.--It shall be the policy of the
United States to use its voice, vote, and influence at the
United Nations to ensure that a credible and respectable
Human Rights Council or other human rights body is
established within the United Nations whose participating
Member States uphold the values embodied in the Universal
Declaration of Human Rights.
(b) Human Rights Reforms at the United Nations.--The
President shall direct the United States Permanent
Representative to the United Nations to seek to ensure that
the following human rights reforms have been adopted by the
United Nations:
(1) A Member State that fails to uphold the values embodied
in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights shall be
ineligible for membership on any United Nations human rights
body.
(2) A Member State that is subject to sanctions by the
Security Council or under a Security Council-mandated
investigation for human rights abuses shall be ineligible for
membership on any United Nations human rights body.
(3) A Member State that is subject to a country specific
resolution relating to human rights abuses perpetrated in
that country by the government of that country that has been
adopted, within the preceding 3-year period, by a United
Nations or regional organization that has competence
regarding such matters shall be ineligible for membership on
any United Nations human rights body. For purposes of this
paragraph, a country specific resolution shall not include
consensus resolutions on advisory services.
(4) A Member State that violates the principles of a United
Nations human rights body to which it aspires to join shall
be ineligible for membership on such body.
(5) No human rights body has a standing agenda item that
only relates to one country or one region.
(c) Certification.--In accordance with section 601, a
certification shall be required that certifies that the human
rights reforms described under subsection (b) have been
adopted by the United Nations.
(d) Prevention of Abuse of ``No Action'' Motions.--The
United States Permanent Representative to the United Nations
shall work to prevent abuse of ``no action'' motions,
particularly as such motions relate to country specific
resolutions.
(e) Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for
Human Rights.--
(1) Statement of policy.--It shall be the policy of the
United States to continue to strongly support the Office of
the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights.
(2) Certification.--In accordance with section 601, a
certification shall be required that certifies that the
Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human
Rights has been given greater authority in field operation
activities, such as in the Darfur region of Sudan and in the
Democratic Republic of the Congo, in furtherance of the
purpose and mission of the United Nations.
SEC. 202. ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCIL (ECOSOC).
(a) Statement of Policy.--It shall be the policy of the
United States to use its voice, vote, and influence at the
United Nations to--
(1) abolish secret voting in the Economic and Social
Council (ECOSOC);
(2) ensure that, until such time as the Commission on Human
Rights of the United Nations is abolished, only countries
that are not ineligible for membership on a human rights body
in accordance with paragraph (1) through (4) of section
201(b) shall be considered for membership on the Commission
on Human Rights; and
(3) ensure that after candidate countries are nominated for
membership on the Commission on Human Rights, the Economic
and Social Council conducts a recorded vote to determine such
membership.
(b) Certification.--In accordance with section 601, a
certification shall be required that certifies that the
policies described in subsection (a) have been implemented.
SEC. 203. INTERNATIONAL RESPONSIBILITY TO PROTECT.
(a) Findings.--The situation in Darfur, Sudan, declared to
be genocide by the U.S. House of Representatives in
H.Con.Res. 467 (adopted on July 27, 2004), demonstrates the
need for an internationally agreed framework for effective
action to prevent genocide or other crimes against humanity
that threaten a large scale loss of life.
(b) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of the Congress
that the United States and other members of the international
community should endorse the Secretary General's initiative
described in his report entitled ``In larger freedom: towards
development, security and human rights for all'' to require
that--
(1) the government of every country has the responsibility
to protect its civilian population from genocide, ethnic
cleansing, or crimes against humanity; and
(2) in the case of a government that is unwilling or unable
to do carry out its responsibility under paragraph (1) in the
face of such gross violations of internationally recognized
human rights, members of the international community must use
diplomatic, humanitarian, and other necessary means to help
protect civilian populations and save lives.
TITLE III--INTERNATIONAL ATOMIC ENERGY AGENCY
SEC. 301. INTERNATIONAL ATOMIC ENERGY AGENCY.
(a) Enforcement and Compliance.--
(1) Office of compliance.--
(A) Establishment.--The President shall direct the United
States Permanent Representative to International Atomic
Energy Agency (IAEA) to use the voice, vote, and influence of
the United States at the IAEA to establish an Office of
Compliance in the Secretariat of the IAEA under the direction
of the Deputy Director General for Safeguards.
(B) Operation.--The Office of Compliance shall--
(i) function as an independent body composed of technical
experts who shall work in consultation with IAEA inspectors
to assess compliance by IAEA Member States and provide
recommendations to the IAEA Board of Governors concerning
penalties to be imposed on IAEA Member States that fail to
fulfill their obligations under IAEA Board resolutions;
(ii) base its assessments and recommendations on IAEA
inspection reports; and
(iii) take into consideration information provided by IAEA
Board Members that are among the five nuclear weapons states
as recognized by the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of
Nuclear Weapons (21 UST 483) (commonly referred to as the
``Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty'' or the ``NPT'').
(C) Staffing.--The Office of Compliance shall be staffed
from existing personnel in the Department of Safeguards of
the IAEA or the Department of Nuclear Safety and Security of
the IAEA.
(D) Operation.--The Office of Compliance shall operate in
consultation with IAEA inspectors and enforcement actions
shall be
[[Page H4689]]
based on inspection reports, IAEA Board of Governors
resolutions, Director General reports, and shall take into
consideration information provided by IAEA Board Members that
are among the five nuclear weapons states as recognized by
the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons.
(2) Special committee on safeguards and verification.--
(A) Establishment.--The President shall direct the United
States Permanent Representative to the IAEA to use the voice,
vote, and influence of the United States at the IAEA to
establish a Special Committee on Safeguards and Verification.
(B) Responsibilities.--The Special Committee shall--
(i) improve the ability of the IAEA to monitor and enforce
compliance by Member States of the IAEA with the Nuclear Non-
Proliferation Treaty and the Statute of the International
Atomic Energy Agency; and
(ii) consider which additional measures are necessary to
enhance the ability of the IAEA, beyond the verification
mechanisms and authorities contained in the Additional
Protocol to the Safeguards Agreements between the IAEA and
Member States of the IAEA, to detect with a high degree of
confidence undeclared nuclear activities by a Member State.
(3) Penalties wit respect to the iaea.--
(A) In general.--The President shall direct the United
States Permanent Representative to the IAEA to use the voice,
vote, and influence of the United States at the IAEA to
ensure that a Member State of the IAEA that is under
investigation for a breach of or noncompliance with its IAEA
obligations or the purposes and principles of the Charter of
the United Nations has its IAEA privileges suspended,
including--
(i) limiting its ability to vote on its case;
(ii) being prevented from receiving any technical
assistance; and
(iii) being prevented from hosting meetings.
(B) Termination of penalties.--The penalties specified
under subparagraph (A) shall be terminated when the
investigation is concluded and the Member State is no longer
in such breach or noncompliance.
(4) Penalties with respect to the nuclear nonproliferation
treaty.--The President shall direct the United States
Permanent Representative to the IAEA to use the voice, vote,
and influence of the United States at the IAEA to ensure that
a Member State of the IAEA that is found to be in breach of,
in noncompliance with, or has withdrawn from the Nuclear
Nonproliferation Treaty shall return to the IAEA all nuclear
materials and technology received from the IAEA, any Member
State of the IAEA, or any Member State of the Nuclear
Nonproliferation Treaty.
(b) United States Contributions.--
(1) Voluntary contributions.--Voluntary contributions of
the United States to the IAEA may only be used to fund
activities relating to Nuclear Safety and Security or
activities relating to Nuclear Verification.
(2) Limitation on use of funds.--The President shall direct
the United States Permanent Representative to the IAEA to use
the voice, vote, and influence of the United States at the
IAEA to--
(A) ensure that funds for safeguards inspections are used
giving first priority to address countries that are
initiating or developing nuclear activities; and
(B) block the allocation of funds for any other IAEA
development, environmental, or nuclear science assistance or
activity to a country--
(i) the government of which the Secretary of State has
determined--
(I) for purposes of section 6(j) of the Export
Administration Act of 1979, section 620A of the Foreign
Assistance Act of 1961, section 40 of the Arms Export Control
Act, or other provision of law, is a government that has
repeatedly provided support for acts of international
terrorism; and
(II) has not dismantled and surrendered its weapons of mass
destruction under international verification;
(ii) that is under investigation for a breach of or
noncompliance with its IAEA obligations or the purposes and
principles of the Charter of the United Nations; or
(iii) that is in violation of its IAEA obligations or the
purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations.
(3) Detail of expenditures.--The President shall direct the
United States Permanent Representative to the IAEA to use the
voice, vote, and influence of the United States at the IAEA
to secure, as part of the regular budget presentation of the
IAEA to Member States of the IAEA, a detailed breakdown by
country of expenditures of the IAEA for safeguards
inspections and nuclear security activities.
(c) Membership.--
(1) In general.--The President shall direct the United
States Permanent Representative to the IAEA to use the voice,
vote, and influence of the United States at the IAEA to block
the membership on the Board of Governors of the IAEA of a
Member State of the IAEA that has not signed and ratified the
IAEA Additional Protocol and--
(A) is under investigation for a breach of, or
noncompliance with, its IAEA obligations or the purposes and
principles of the Charter of the United Nations; or
(B) is in violation of its IAEA obligations or the purposes
and principles of the Charter of the United Nations.
(2) Criteria.--The United States Permanent Representative
to the IAEA shall make every effort to modify the criteria
for Board membership to reflect the principles described in
paragraph (1).
(d) Nuclear Program of Iran.--
(1) United states action.--The President shall direct the
United States Permanent Representative to the IAEA to use the
voice, vote, and influence of the United States at the IAEA
to make every effort to ensure the adoption of a resolution
by the IAEA Board of Governors that makes Iran ineligible to
receive any nuclear material, technology, equipment, or
assistance from any IAEA Member State and ineligible for any
IAEA assistance not related to safeguards inspections or
nuclear security until the IAEA Board of Governors determines
that Iran--
(A) is providing full access to IAEA inspectors to its
nuclear-related facilities;
(B) has fully implemented and is in compliance with the
Additional Protocol; and
(C) has permanently ceased and dismantled all activities
and programs related to nuclear-enrichment and reprocessing.
(2) Penalties.--If an IAEA Member State is determined to
have violated the prohibition on assistance to Iran described
in paragraph (1) before the IAEA Board of Governors
determines that Iran has satisfied the conditions described
in subparagraphs (A) through (C) of such paragraph, such
Member State shall be subject to the penalties described in
section 301(a)(3), shall be ineligible to receive nuclear
material, technology, equipment, or assistance from any IAEA
Member State, and shall be ineligible to receive any IAEA
assistance not related to safeguards inspections or nuclear
security until such time as the IAEA Board of Governors makes
such determination with respect to Iran.
(e) Report.--Not later than six months after the date of
the enactment of this Act and annually thereafter for the
succeeding 2-year period, the President shall submit to the
appropriate congressional committees a report on the
implementation of this section.
SEC. 302. SENSE OF CONGRESS REGARDING THE NUCLEAR SECURITY
ACTION PLAN OF THE IAEA.
It is the sense of Congress that the national security
interests of the United States are enhanced by the Nuclear
Security Action Plan of the IAEA and the Board of Governors
of the IAEA should recommend, and the General Conference of
the IAEA should adopt, a resolution incorporating the Nuclear
Security Action Plan into the regular budget of the IAEA.
TITLE IV--PEACEKEEPING
SEC. 401. SENSE OF CONGRESS REGARDING REFORM OF UNITED
NATIONS PEACEKEEPING OPERATIONS.
It is the sense of Congress that--
(1) although United Nations peacekeeping operations have
contributed greatly toward the promotion of peace and
stability for the past 57 years, and the majority of
peacekeeping personnel who have served under the United
Nations flag have done so with honor and courage, the record
of United Nations peacekeeping has been severely tarnished by
operational failures and unconscionable acts of misconduct;
and
(2) if the reputation of and confidence in United Nations
peacekeeping operations is to be restored, fundamental and
far-reaching reforms, particularly in the areas of planning,
management, training, conduct, and discipline, must be
implemented without delay.
SEC. 402. STATEMENT OF POLICY RELATING TO REFORM OF UNITED
NATIONS PEACEKEEPING OPERATIONS.
It shall be the policy of the United States to pursue
reform of United Nations peacekeeping operations in the
following areas:
(1) Planning and management.--
(A) Global audit.--As the size, cost, and number of United
Nations peacekeeping operations have increased substantially
over the past decade, an independent audit of each such
operation, with a view toward ``right-sizing'' operations and
ensuring that such operations are cost effective, should be
conducted and its findings reported to the Security Council.
(B) Review of mandates and closing operations.--In
conjunction with the audit described in subparagraph (A), the
United Nations Department of Peacekeeping Operations should
conduct a comprehensive review of all United Nations
peacekeeping operation mandates, with a view toward
identifying objectives that are practical and achievable, and
report its findings to the Security Council. In particular,
the review should consider the following:
(i) Activities that fall beyond the scope of traditional
peacekeeping activities should be delegated to a new
Peacebuilding Commission, described in paragraph (3).
(ii) Long-standing operations that are static and cannot
fulfill their mandate should be downsized or closed.
(iii) If there is legitimate concern that the withdrawal
from a country of an otherwise static United Nations
peacekeeping operation would result in the resumption of
major conflict, a burden-sharing arrangement that reduces the
level of assessed contributions, similar to that currently
supporting the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus,
should be explored and instituted.
(C) Leadership.--As peacekeeping operations become larger
and increasingly complex, the Secretariat should adopt a
minimum standard of qualifications for senior leaders and
managers, with particular emphasis on specific skills and
experience, and
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current senior leaders and managers who do not meet those
standards should be removed or reassigned.
(D) Pre-deployment training.--Pre-deployment training on
interpretation of the mandate of the operation, specifically
in the areas of force, civilian protection, field conditions,
the Code of Conduct described in paragraph (2)(A), HIV/AIDS,
gender, and human rights issues should be mandatory, and all
personnel, regardless of category or rank, should be required
to sign an oath that each has received and understands such
training as a condition of participation in the operation.
(2) Conduct and discipline.--
(A) Adoption of a uniform code of conduct.--A single,
uniform Code of Conduct that has the status of a binding rule
and applies equally to all personnel serving in United
Nations peacekeeping operations, regardless of category or
rank, should be promulgated, adopted, and enforced.
(B) Understanding the code of conduct.--All personnel,
regardless of category or rank, should receive training on
the Code of Conduct prior to deployment with a peacekeeping
operation, in addition to periodic follow-on training. In
particular--
(i) all personnel, regardless of category or rank, should
be provided with a personal copy of the Code of Conduct that
has been translated into the national language of such
personnel, regardless of whether such language is an official
language of the United Nations;
(ii) all personnel, regardless of category or rank, should
sign an oath that each has received a copy of the Code of
Conduct, that each pledges to abide by the Code of Conduct,
and that each understands the consequences of violating the
Code of Conduct as a condition of appointment to such
operation, including immediate termination of the
participation of such personnel in the peacekeeping operation
to which such personnel is assigned; and
(iii) peacekeeping operations should conduct educational
outreach programs within communities hosting such operations,
including explaining prohibited acts on the part of United
Nations peacekeeping personnel and identifying the individual
to whom the local population may direct complaints or file
allegations of exploitation, abuse, or other acts of
misconduct.
(C) Monitoring mechanisms.--Dedicated monitoring
mechanisms, such as the personnel conduct units deployed to
support United Nations peacekeeping operations in Haiti,
Liberia, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of Congo,
should be present in each operation to monitor compliance
with the Code of Conduct, and--
(i) should report simultaneously to the Head of Mission,
the United Nations Department of Peacekeeping Operations, and
the Associate Director of OIOS for Peacekeeping Operations
(established under section 104(b)(9)); and
(ii) should be tasked with designing and implementing
mission-specific measures to prevent misconduct, conduct
follow-on training for personnel, coordinate community
outreach programs, and assist in investigations, as OIOS
determines necessary and appropriate.
(D) Investigations.--A permanent, professional, and
independent investigative body should be established and
introduced into United Nations peacekeeping operations. In
particular--
(i) the investigative body should include professionals
with experience in investigating sex crimes, as well as
experts who can provide guidance on standards of proof and
evidentiary requirements necessary for any subsequent legal
action;
(ii) provisions should be included in a Model Memorandum of
Understanding that obligate each Member State that
contributes troops to a peacekeeping operation to designate a
military prosecutor who will participate in any investigation
into an allegation of misconduct brought against an
individual of that Member State, so that evidence is
collected and preserved in a manner consistent with the
military law of that Member State;
(iii) the investigative body should be regionally based to
ensure rapid deployment and should be equipped with modern
forensics equipment for the purpose of positively identifying
perpetrators and, where necessary, for determining paternity;
and
(iv) the investigative body should report directly to the
Associate Director of OIOS for Peacekeeping Operations, while
providing copies of any reports to the Department of
Peacekeeping Operations, the Head of Mission, and the Member
State concerned.
(E) Follow-up.--A dedicated unit, similar to the personnel
conduct units, staffed and funded through existing resources,
should be established within the headquarters of the United
Nations Department of Peacekeeping Operations and tasked
with--
(i) promulgating measures to prevent misconduct;
(ii) coordinating allegations of misconduct, and reports
received by field personnel; and
(iii) gathering follow-up information on completed
investigations, particularly by focusing on disciplinary
actions against the individual concerned taken by the United
Nations or by the Member State that is contributing troops to
which the individual belongs, and sharing that information
with the Security Council, the Head of Mission, and the
community hosting the peacekeeping operation.
(F) Financial liability and victims assistance.--Although
peacekeeping operations should provide immediate medical
assistance to victims of sexual abuse or exploitation, the
responsibility for providing longer-term treatment, care, or
restitution lies solely with the individual found guilty of
the misconduct. In particular, the following reforms should
be implemented:
(i) The United Nations should not assume responsibility for
providing long-term treatment or compensation by creating a
``Victims Trust Fund'', or any other such similar fund,
financed through assessed contributions to United Nations
peacekeeping operations, thereby shielding individuals from
personal liability and reinforcing an atmosphere of impunity.
(ii) If an individual responsible for misconduct has been
repatriated, reassigned, redeployed, or is otherwise unable
to provide assistance, responsibility for providing
assistance to a victim should be assigned to the Member State
that contributed the troops to which the individual belonged
or to the manager concerned.
(iii) In the case of misconduct by a member of a military
contingent, appropriate funds should be withheld from the
troop-contributing country concerned.
(iv) In the case of misconduct by a civilian employee or
contractor of the United Nations, appropriate wages should be
garnished from such individual or fines should be imposed
against such individual, consistent with existing United
Nations Staff Rules.
(G) Managers and commanders.--The manner in which managers
and commanders handle cases of misconduct by those serving
under them should be included in their individual performance
evaluations, so that managers and commanders who take
decisive action to deter and address misconduct are rewarded,
while those who create a permissive environment or impede
investigations are penalized or relieved of duty, as
appropriate.
(H) Data base.--A centralized data base should be created
and maintained within the United Nations Department of
Peacekeeping Operations to track cases of misconduct,
including the outcome of investigations and subsequent
prosecutions, to ensure that personnel who have engaged in
misconduct or other criminal activities, regardless of
category or rank, are permanently barred from participation
in future peacekeeping operations.
(I) Welfare.--Peacekeeping operations should assume
responsibility for maintaining a minimum standard of welfare
for mission personnel to ameliorate conditions of service,
while adjustments are made to the discretionary welfare
payments currently provided to Member States that contribute
troops to offset the cost of operation-provided recreational
facilities.
(3) Peacebuilding commission.--
(A) Establishment.--Consistent with the recommendations of
the Report of the Secretary General's High Level Panel on
Threats, Challenges, and Change, the United Nations should
establish a Peacebuilding Commission, supported by a
Peacebuilding Support Office, to marshal the efforts of the
United Nations, international financial institutions, donors,
and non-governmental organizations to assist countries in
transition from war to peace.
(B) Structure and membership.--The Commission should--
(i) be a subsidiary body of the United Nations Security
Council, limited in size to ensure efficiency;
(ii) include members of the United Nations Security
Council, major donors, and Member States that contribute
troops, appropriate United Nations organizations, the World
Bank, and the International Monetary Fund; and
(iii) invite the President of ECOSOC, regional actors,
Member States that contribute troops, regional development
banks, and other concerned parties that are not already
members, as determined appropriate, to consult or participate
in meetings as observers.
(C) Responsibilities.--The Commission should seek to ease
the demands currently placed upon the Department of
Peacekeeping Operations to undertake tasks that fall beyond
the scope of traditional peacekeeping, by--
(i) developing and integrating country-specific and system-
wide conflict prevention, post-conflict reconstruction, and
long-term development policies and strategies; and
(ii) serving as the key coordinating body for the design
and implementation of military, humanitarian, and civil
administration aspects of complex missions.
(D) Resources.--The establishment of the Peacebuilding
Commission and the related Peacebuilding Support Office
should be staffed with existing resources.
SEC. 403. CERTIFICATION.
(a) New or Expanded Peacekeeping Operations Contingent Upon
Presidential Certification of Peacekeeping Operations
Reforms.--
(1) No new or expanded peacekeeping operations.--Beginning
on January 1, 2007, and until the Secretary certifies that
the requirements described in paragraph (2) have been
satisfied, the President shall direct the United States
Permanent Representative to the United Nations use the voice,
vote, and influence of the United States at the United
Nations to oppose the creation of new, or expansion of
existing, United Nations peacekeeping operations unless the
Secretary certifies to the appropriate congressional
committees that such creation or expansion is in
[[Page H4691]]
the national interest of the United States, and includes with
the certification a written justification therefor.
(2) Certification of peacekeeping operations reforms.--The
certification referred to in paragraph (1) is a certification
made by the Secretary to the appropriate congressional
committees that the following reforms, or an equivalent set
of reforms, related to peacekeeping operations have been
adopted by the United Nations Department of Peacekeeping
Operations or the General Assembly, as appropriate:
(A) A single, uniform Code of Conduct that has the status
of a binding rule and applies equally to all personnel
serving in United Nations peacekeeping operations, regardless
of category or rank, has been adopted by the General Assembly
and mechanisms have been established for training such
personnel concerning the requirements of the Code and
enforcement of the Code.
(B) All personnel, regardless of category or rank, serving
in a peacekeeping operation have been trained concerning the
requirements of the Code of Conduct and each has been given a
personal copy of the Code, translated into the national
language of such personnel.
(C) All personnel, regardless of category or rank, are
required to sign an oath that each has received a copy of the
Code of Conduct, that each pledges to abide by the Code, and
that each understands the consequences of violating the Code
as a condition of the appointment to such operation,
including the immediate termination of the participation of
such personnel in the peacekeeping operation to which such
personnel is assigned.
(D) All peacekeeping operations have designed and
implemented educational outreach programs that reach local
communities where peacekeeping personnel of such operations
are based for a significant period of time, explaining
prohibited acts on the part of United Nations peacekeeping
personnel and identifying the individual to whom the local
population may direct complaints or file allegations of
exploitation, abuse, or other acts of misconduct.
(E) A centralized data base has been created and is being
maintained in the United Nations Department of Peacekeeping
Operations that tracks cases of misconduct, including the
outcomes of investigations and subsequent prosecutions, to
ensure that personnel, regardless of category or rank, who
have engaged in misconduct or other criminal activities are
permanently barred from participation in future peacekeeping
operations.
(F) A Model Memorandum of Understanding between the United
Nations and each Member State that contributes troops to a
peacekeeping operation has been adopted by the United Nations
Department of Peacekeeping Operations that specifically
obligates each such Member State to--
(i) designate a competent legal authority, preferably a
prosecutor with expertise in the area of sexual exploitation
and abuse, to participate in any investigation into an
allegation of misconduct brought against an individual of the
Member State;
(ii) refer to its competent national or military authority
for possible prosecution, if warranted, any investigation of
a violation of the Code of Conduct or other criminal activity
by an individual of the Member State;
(iii) report to the Department of Peacekeeping Operations
on the outcome of any such investigation;
(iv) undertake to conduct on-site court martial proceedings
relating to allegations of misconduct alleged against an
individual of the Member State;
(v) assume responsibility for the provision of appropriate
assistance to a victim of misconduct committed by an
individual of the Member State; and
(vi) establish a professional and independent investigative
and audit function within the United Nations Department of
Peacekeeping Operations and the OIOS to monitor United
Nations peacekeeping operations.
SEC. 404. UNITED STATES CONTRIBUTIONS TO UNITED NATIONS
PEACEKEEPING OPERATIONS.
(a) 25 Percent Limitation.--Section 404(b)(2) of the
Foreign Relations Authorization Act, Fiscal Years 1994 and
1995 (22 U.S.C. 287e note; Public Law 103-236) is amended to
read as follows:
``(2) Fiscal year 2006 and subsequent fiscal years.--Funds
authorized to be appropriated for `Contributions for
International Peacekeeping Activities' for fiscal years 2006
and 2007 shall not be available for the payment of the United
States assessed contribution for a United Nations
peacekeeping operation in an amount which is greater than
27.1 percent of the total of all assessed contributions for
that operation.''.
(b) Effective Date.--The amendment made by subsection (a)
shall take effect and apply beginning on October 1, 2005.
SEC. 405. GENOCIDE AND THE UNITED NATIONS.
(a) United States Actions.--The President shall direct the
United States Permanent Representative to the United Nations
to use the voice, vote, and influence of the United States at
the United Nations to make every effort to ensure the formal
adoption and implementation of mechanisms to--
(1) suspend the membership of a Member State in the United
Nations if genocide, ethnic cleansing, or crimes against
humanity are determined to be occurring in such Member State,
regardless of whether such acts are being committed by the
government of such Member State or by a third party;
(2) impose an arms and trade embargo and travel
restrictions on, and freeze the assets of, all groups and
individuals responsible for committing or allowing such acts
to occur;
(3) deploy a United Nations peacekeeping operation or
authorize and support the deployment of a peacekeeping
operation from an international organization to the Member
State with a mandate to stop such acts;
(4) deploy monitors from the United Nations High
Commissioner for Refugees to the area where such acts are
occurring in the Member State; and
(5) authorize the establishment of an international
commission of inquiry into such acts.
(b) Certification.--Unless the Secretary certifies that the
mechanisms described in subsection (a) have been adopted and
implemented, the Secretary is authorized to withhold up to
ten percent of United States contributions to the
peacekeeping budget of the United Nations.
SEC. 406. RULE OF CONSTRUCTION RELATING TO PROTECTION OF
UNITED STATES OFFICIALS AND MEMBERS OF THE
ARMED FORCES.
Nothing in this title shall be construed as superceding the
Uniform Code of Military Justice or operating to effect the
surrender of United States officials or members of the Armed
Forces to a foreign country or international tribunal for
prosecutions arising from peacekeeping operations or other
similar United Nations related activity.
TITLE V--DEPARTMENT OF STATE AND GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTABILITY OFFICE
SEC. 501. POSITIONS FOR UNITED STATES CITIZENS AT
INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS.
The Secretary of State shall make every effort to recruit
United States citizens for positions within international
organizations.
SEC. 502. BUDGET JUSTIFICATION FOR REGULAR ASSESSED BUDGET OF
THE UNITED NATIONS.
(a) Detailed Itemization.--The annual congressional budget
justification shall include a detailed itemized request in
support of the assessed contribution of the United States to
the regular assessed budget of the United Nations.
(b) Contents of Detailed Itemization.--The detailed
itemization required under subsection (a) shall--
(1) contain information relating to the amounts requested
in support of each of the various sections and titles of the
regular assessed budget of the United Nations; and
(2) compare the amounts requested for the current year with
the actual or estimated amounts contributed by the United
States in previous fiscal years for the same sections and
titles.
(c) Adjustments and Notification.--If the United Nations
proposes an adjustment to its regular assessed budget, the
Secretary of State shall, at the time such adjustment is
presented to the Advisory Committee on Administrative and
Budgetary Questions of the United Nations (ACABQ), notify and
consult with the appropriate congressional committees.
SEC. 503. REVIEW AND REPORT.
Not later than six months after the date of the enactment
of this Act, the Secretary of State shall conduct a review of
programs of the United Nations that are funded through
assessed contributions and submit to the appropriate
congressional committees a report containing--
(1) the findings of such review; and
(2) recommendations relating to--
(A) the continuation of such programs; and
(B) which of such programs should be voluntarily funded.
SEC. 504. GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTABILITY OFFICE.
(a) Report on United Nations Reforms.--Not later than 12
months after the date of the enactment of this Act and 12
months thereafter, the Comptroller General of the United
States shall submit to the appropriate congressional
committees a report on the status of the 1997, 2002, and 2005
management reforms initiated by the Secretary General and on
the reforms mandated by this Act.
(b) Report on Department of State Certifications.--Not
later than six months after each certification is submitted
by the Secretary of State to the appropriate congressional
committees under this Act, the Comptroller General shall
submit to the appropriate congressional committees a report
on each such certification. The Secretary shall provide the
Comptroller General with any information required by the
Comptroller General to submit any such report.
TITLE VI--CERTIFICATIONS AND WITHHOLDING OF CONTRIBUTIONS
SEC. 601. CERTIFICATIONS AND WITHHOLDING OF CONTRIBUTIONS.
(a) In General.--The certifications required under sections
103, 104(a) through 104(d), 110, 201(c), 201(e), and 202 of
this Act are certifications submitted to the appropriate
congressional committees by the Secretary of State that the
requirements of each such section have been satisfied with
respect to reform of the United Nations.
(b) Alternative Certification Mechanism.--
(1) In general.--In the event that the Secretary is unable
to make any certification described in subsection (a), the
Secretary may nonetheless satisfy the requirements referred
to in such certification by certifying that--
(A) the United Nations has implemented reforms that are
either substantially similar
[[Page H4692]]
to or accomplish the same purposes as the requirements
referred to in any such certification; or
(B) in the case of the policies described in subsections
(a) and (c) of section 11 the United Nations Participation
Act of 1945 (as amended by section 101 of this Act) or the
requirements of sections 201(c) and 202(b) of this Act,
substantial progress has been made in implementing such
policies or requirements.
(2) Definitions.--For the purposes of this subsection,
reforms are ``substantially similar to or accomplish the same
purposes as'' if the reforms are--
(A) formally adopted by the organ or committee of the
United Nations that has authority to take such action or are
issued by the Secretariat or the appropriate entity or
committee in written form; and
(B) are not identical to the measures required by a
particular certification but in the judgment of the Secretary
will have the same or nearly the same effect as such
measures.
(3) Written justification and consultation.--
(A) Written justification.--Not later than 30 days before
submitting an alternate certification in accordance with
paragraph (1), the Secretary shall submit to the appropriate
congressional committees a written justification explaining
in detail the basis for such alternate certification.
(B) Consultation.--After the Secretary has submitted the
written justification under subparagraph (A), but not later
than 15 days before the Secretary exercises the alternate
certification mechanism described in clause (i), the
Secretary shall consult with the appropriate congressional
committees regarding such exercise.
(c) Withholding of United States Contributions to Regular
Assessed Budget of the United Nations.--If the Secretary is
unable to make one or more of the certifications described in
subsection (a) or (b), the Secretary is authorized to
withhold from expenditure until such time as the Secretary
deems appropriate up to 50 percent of the contribution of the
United States to the regular assessed budget of the United
Nations for a biennial period, beginning with funds
appropriated for the United States Assessed contribution for
fiscal year 2008.
(d) Consultation on Progress of Reforms.--Beginning six
months after the date of the enactment of this Act, and every
three months thereafter until all the certifications under
subsection (a) and (b) are made, the Secretary shall consult
with the appropriate congressional committees regarding the
progress in adoption and implementation of the reforms
described in this Act.
(e) Duration of Funds.--
(1) Assessed contributions to the u.n.--Any amounts of
funds appropriated for the United States assessed
contribution to the United Nations that are withheld under
subsection (c) are authorized to remain available until
expended in fiscal years after the fiscal year in which all
certifications are made under subsections (a) and (b).
(2) Assessed contributions to specialized agencies.--Any
amounts of funds appropriated for the United States assessed
contribution to a specialized agency that are withheld under
section 107(d) are authorized to remain available until
expended in fiscal years after the fiscal year in which the
Secretary makes the certification with respect to the policy
or policies described in section 107 by reason of which the
funds were withheld.
(f) Biennial Reviews.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary shall conduct biennial
reviews, beginning two years after the date on which the
Secretary submits the last of the certifications under
subsections (a) and (b), to determine if the United Nations
continues to remain in compliance with all such
certifications. Not later than 30 days after the completion
of each such review, the Secretary shall submit to the
appropriate congressional committees a report containing the
findings of each such review.
(2) Action.--If during the course of any such review the
Secretary determines that the United Nations has failed to
remain in compliance with a certification that was submitted
in accordance with subsection (a), the Secretary is
authorized to exercise the authority described in subsection
(c) with respect to the biennial period immediately following
such review and subsequent biennial periods until such time
as all certifications under subsection (a) or (b) have been
submitted.
SEC. 602. DIPLOMATIC CAMPAIGN TO ACHIEVE REFORM.
(a) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of the Congress
that in order to achieve the reforms required by this Act,
the President must undertake an extensive diplomatic
campaign, in combination with like-minded countries at the
United Nations to achieve those reforms, including acting
through the United States Permanent Representative to the
United Nations to use its voice, vote and influence at the
United Nations and direct diplomatic intervention at the
highest levels of government in Member States.
(b) Report to Congress.--Sixty days before exercising the
authority to withhold funds under section 601(c), the
Secretary shall consult with the appropriate congressional
committees and submit a report on how the exercise of such
authority will further the purposes of this Act.
(c) Content of Report.--The report required by subsection
(b) shall include--
(1) a description of efforts by the United States to
achieve the reforms required by this Act to date;
(2) an analysis of why reforms sought by the United States
have not been achieved; and
(3) an explanation of how United States policy will be
furthered by conditioning or withholding funds for assessed
contributions to the United Nations, as well as an analysis
of how withholding such funds are expected to affect
programs, operations, staff, and reforms of the United
Nations and United States interests.
TITLE VII--UNITED NATIONS RENEWAL AND TOOLS TO FULLY IMPLEMENT UNITED
NATIONS REFORM
SEC. 701. SYNCHRONIZATION OF U.S. ASSESSED CONTRIBUTIONS TO
INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS.
(a) Findings.--Congress makes the following findings:
(1) In the early 1980s, the United States Government began
to pay United States assessments to certain international
organizations in the last quarter of the calendar year in
which they were due. This practice allowed the United States
to pay its annual assessment to the United Nations and other
international organizations with the next fiscal year's
appropriations, taking advantage of the fact that
international organizations operate on calendar years. It
also allowed the United States to reduce budgetary outlays,
making the United States budget deficit appear smaller.
(2) The United States, which is assessed 22 percent of the
United Nations regular budget, now pays its dues at least 10
months late, and often later depending on when the relevant
appropriation is enacted.
(3) This practice causes the United Nations to operate
throughout much of the year without a significant portion of
its operating budget. By midyear, the budget is usually
depleted, forcing the United Nations to borrow from its
peacekeeping budget, since the organization is prohibited
from borrowing externally. As a result, countries that
contribute to United Nations peacekeeping missions are not
reimbursed on a timely basis.
(4) For years, continuing this practice is inconsistent
with the purposes of this Act to encourage the United Nations
to engage in sound, fiscally responsible budgetary practices.
(b) Authorization of Appropriations.--Beginning in the
fiscal year in which all certifications under subsection (a)
and (b) of section 601 have been made, the following amounts
are authorized to be appropriated to a process to synchronize
the payment of its assessments to the United Nations and
other international organizations over a multiyear period so
that the United States can resume paying its dues to such
international organizations at the beginning of each calendar
year:
(1) For the fiscal year after all such certifications have
been made, $150,000,000.
(2) For the second year after all such certifications have
been made, $150,000,000.,
(3) For the third year after all such certifications have
been made, $150,000,000.
SEC. 702. INCREASED FUNDING FOR UNITED STATES ASSESSED
CONTRIBUTION TO THE UNITED NATIONS TO SUPPORT
REFORM EFFORTS.
It is the sense of the Congress that the United States
should support an increase in the 2006-2007 United Nations
biennium budget and future United Nations budgets to support
the creation of new offices or institutions and the
strengthening of existing offices in order to fully implement
the reforms required by this Act.
SEC. 703. BUYOUT OF UNITED NATIONS PERSONNEL.
It is the sense of the Congress that the United States
should support an increase in the appropriate United Nations
biennium budget to fund a buyout of United Nations personnel
to the extent that the buyout is a targeted buyout of
personnel that do not have the skills necessary for the
United Nations in the 21st century.
SEC. 704. UNITED NATIONS DEMOCRACY FUND.
There is authorized for fiscal year 2006 for a voluntary
contribution to the United Nations International Democracy
Fund $10,000,000.
SEC. 705. UNITED STATES PERSONNEL TO INTERNATIONAL
ORGANIZATIONS.
The President is authorized to detail any United States
Government officer or employee to the United Nations on a
nonreimbursable basis for up to three years to assist in the
implementation of the reforms described in this Act,
including providing for any necessary housing, education,
cost-of-living allowances, or other allowances authorized
under the Foreign Service Act the United Nations
Participation Act of 1945.
The Acting CHAIRMAN. Pursuant to House Resolution 319, the gentleman
from California (Mr. Lantos) and a Member opposed each will control 15
minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from California (Mr. Lantos).
Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Chairman, at the outset, let me thank all Members of the House
for a singularly civilized, substantive, and I believe informative
debate. I particularly want to thank my dear friend, the chairman of
the Committee on International Relations, with whom I have
[[Page H4693]]
had the privilege of serving now for some 25 years, and with whom I
have had the privilege of sharing the leadership of the Committee on
International Relations for the past 5 years.
Mr. Chairman, the bipartisan substitute offered by me and my
distinguished Republican colleague, the gentleman from Connecticut (Mr.
Shays), is a rational and logical proposal to promote U.N. reform while
giving the Secretary of State sufficient flexibility to do her job.
With our substitute amendment, we align ourselves strongly on U.N.
reform issues with our Nation's foreign policy leadership, including
Secretary of State Rice and eight former U.S. Ambassadors to the United
Nations, including a former distinguished Republican Senator, John
Danforth, and the revered Ambassador Jeane Kirkpatrick.
We are fighting to ensure that the United States is better armed to
propose serious U.N. reform and not forced to cut off funds to the
United Nations in an arbitrary manner that is counterproductive to our
national interest.
Mr. Chairman, our amendment addresses four primary deficiencies,
fatal deficiencies, in the Hyde bill. First, our substitute does not
sever the link between achieving U.N. reform benchmarks and the
possibility of withholding half of our U.N. dues, which is the Hyde
proposal. Rather, though the benchmarks are the same as in the
underlying bill, the Lantos-Shays amendment would give Secretary Rice
the authority to withhold up to 50 percent of our U.N. dues, not
mandate such a cut.
This is the fundamental distinction between the Hyde and the Lantos
bills, and I want to reiterate it so every Member of the House will be
clear on what they are voting on. The Hyde bill is a guillotine on
autopilot, while our bill gives desperately needed discretion to
Secretary of State Rice.
Secondly, Mr. Chairman, the Hyde bill would prohibit the United
States from supporting any new U.N. peacekeeping mission unless a far-
reaching set of peacekeeping reforms is adopted. My substitute keeps
these reforms, but provides Secretary Rice with a waiver in the event
that a new mission is required, such as preventing genocide.
I want to repeat this, too, Mr. Chairman. The Hyde bill would prevent
a U.N. peacekeeping mission to prevent genocide in an automatic, rigid,
nonnegotiable and arbitrary fashion. The Lantos-Shays substitute
provides our Secretary of State the authority to waive that
restriction.
Our substitute also ensures that we do not withhold funds from the
United Nations when it is separate specialized agencies, such as the
World Intellectual Property Organization or others, which have failed
to make necessary reforms. It is a non sequitur, it is fundamentally
flawed logic to hold the U.N. accountable for shortcomings of
organizations that the United Nations does not control. It boggles the
mind that we would penalize the U.N. for the failure of an agency that
the U.N. does not control instituting necessary reforms.
Our amendment also incorporates a number of the amendments that have
been adopted in this 2-day debate on anti-Semitism, the Oil-for-Food
scandal, nonproliferation and others.
Mr. Chairman, there are touches of a Greek tragedy as we move towards
the vote. Many of my Republican friends would like to vote for the
Lantos substitute because they recognize the wisdom of flexibility to
be given to our Secretary of State. I find myself in the delicious but
unaccustomed position of having the support of the White House, the
Secretary of State of a Republican administration, eight former
Ambassadors to the United Nations, a united front on the Democratic
side, and a handful of bold Republicans who are prepared to break party
discipline and vote for what is in our national interest.
{time} 1245
Newt Gingrich, who has been referred to repeatedly, clearly does not
favor the rigid and automatic requirement in the chairman's bill. He
favors our initiative, as do I.
I stand shoulder to shoulder with the chairman in calling for these
reforms, but my alternative offers the Secretary of State desperately
needed flexibility that she wants and needs.
There is an additional item that we should recognize. This is a very
fast-moving world. A year ago there were Syrian troops in Lebanon. A
year ago many developments globally were not even on the horizon. Why
should we freeze ourselves into autopilot for a 4-year period when none
of us are clairvoyant, none of us can predict what conditions our
Secretary of State and our country will confront in 2007 or 2008 or
2009.
I have the highest respect for the chairman. We have worked together
on countless issues. We have brought most pieces of legislation to this
House on a bipartisan basis. In a sense, this too is a bipartisan piece
of legislation in terms of its substance. Where we part company is in
making the legislation, in terms of the chairman's preference calling
for automatic 50 percent reductions in U.N. dues if everything is not
done perfectly.
I have used the phrase 39 amendments or commandments. We have adopted
a few more. We are now up to 46 commandments. So if 45\1/2\
commandments are fully complied with, do we really want to cut our
contribution to this international organization which we so desperately
need all across the globe? Do we really want to cut our contributions
by 50 percent, giving the President, the Secretary of State and this
body no flexibility? I do not think so.
Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. HYDE. Mr. Chairman, I claim the time in opposition to the
amendment.
The Acting CHAIRMAN (Mr. Simpson). The gentleman from Illinois (Mr.
Hyde) is recognized.
Mr. HYDE. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
First, I want to say to the gentleman from California (Mr. Lantos)
what an absolute pleasure it is working with him. He brings to these
very critical issues intellect, dignity, and a fierce patriotism. I
have been very proud and pleased to have had this association.
One of the most interesting aspects of today's debate is the fact
that we have focused very little on what the U.N. needs to do, and we
spent most of our time on how we should ensure these reforms are
actually implemented. We have heard from our opponents quote after
quote from informed and not-so-informed sources that withholding dues
is absolutely the death knell of the U.N. They are victimized by
effective reform.
Well, how our opponents can make this charge and then support the
Lantos substitute suggests a conflicted state of mind. It is clear that
the Lantos substitute is nearly identical to our bill except for the
powers given to Secretary Rice. I assert she does have flexibility
under our bill as well. She can waive the withholding, decide what
level of withholding, if any, is appropriate under the Lantos bill. He
cedes to her total control over the purse strings. But every Member
voting for the Lantos bill, and God bless them, every one of them is
voting to withhold dues. I tip my hat to the gentleman from California
(Mr. Lantos) for achieving consensus in his party for securing
unanimity among his flock on the conclusion that the U.N. will not
reform unless dues are withheld. That is a signature achievement. Of
course the Democrats withhold dues in a fashion different than we do.
We legislate them. We say we have had enough waivers, enough
resolutions, enough statements; it is time we have some teeth in
reform.
It is not impossible to achieve this notwithstanding the naysayers.
There are 2 years before the certifications even kick in, 2 years for
the U.N. to get its act together; and then you can do 32 of the 39
reforms, still be certified, and no funds are withheld and still you
have another year to accomplish the remaining reforms. So both measures
have nearly identical reforms and both measures withhold dues. Only it
is the Secretary of State who has the authority in their substitute,
and we legislate it.
What does history show? History shows when Congress stands tough,
when it says if you do not reform, we are not going to pay, then change
occurs.
Does anyone remember Kassebaum-Solomon? The amendment eventually led
to the implementation of consensus-based budgeting, a reform that no
one said could be achieved.
Does anyone remember UNESCO? We withdrew in protest. We stopped
paying
[[Page H4694]]
our assessed dues. Let me repeat that: we stopped paying our assessed
dues. Reforms of that agency were made and we rejoined.
Does anyone remember the genesis of the Office of Internal Oversight
Services? In the mid-1990s, the U.S. threatened to withhold funding,
and lo and behold the U.N. created an oversight function.
Even with Helms-Biden, Congress leveraged the fact that in order for
us to pay arrears, the U.N. had to undertake certain reforms. All of
these requirements were legislated and directed actions which resulted
in reforms that were actually implemented.
Look, if we want to reform the United Nations, we have to legislate
the reforms and have some teeth in the sanctions if they fail to. The
U.N. will go sailing its merry way on if it reforms. If it does not
reform, there is a penalty.
The eight ambassadors that wrote this letter prove our point. There
is a mind-set in the upper realms of diplomacy that worships at the
theater of the U.N. and could not possibly bring itself to withholding
dues, so I do not think it will work. I implore Members to put some
teeth in the sanctions.
Simon Bolivar, the great South American patriot, had a phrase for
political futility. He said it was plowing in the sea. I suggest when
it comes to sanctions against the U.N. for failing to reform, if
Members leave it to the discretion of the State Department, we are
plowing in the sea.
Mr. Chairman, let us begin real reform of the U.N., a monumental
task, a long road ahead. Let us begin it here and now, June 17, right
in this room; and let us begin it with your vote.
Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman
from Iowa (Mr. Leach), the distinguished chairman of the Subcommittee
of Asia and Pacific Affairs.
Mr. LEACH. Mr. Chairman, let me say I may consider the Lantos-Shays
alternative imperfect, but it represents a credible political balancing
and is clearly preferable to the underlying bill.
But listening to the debate over the past 2 days, I sense a lack of
perspective not only for treaty obligations but for the U.N. itself.
Corruption exists in all societies. It is rife, indeed endemic, in
some. At the U.N., it is isolated; it is not endemic. I have known
hundreds and hundreds of people who have worked for the U.N. itself or
U.N. agencies. They are honorable, decent people doing a decent job. It
is true that a few thousand dollars here and a few thousand dollars
there pretty soon adds up to a loss of confidence in institutions of
governance, and we have that problem at the U.N. Hence, we cannot
ignore scandal, but scandal does not define the United Nations; it
defines a problem that must be dealt with there and elsewhere.
We should do this, but we should do this with the understanding that
the world would be a far worse place without the U.N. and that the
activities and actions of its various organizations and agencies have
made this a better world society. So improvement, not destruction, is
the goal.
Mr. HYDE. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
I would like to state improvement is our goal, too. A healthy U.N.,
rather than a vast, sprawling, bureaucratic cesspool which is where it
is headed. Everyone agrees to that.
Now this notion that we are obliged by the treaty to pay our dues and
that it would be an international default if we did not, that was
argued before back in the 1980s. Contributions to the U.N. are made
subject to authorization and appropriation of the U.S. Congress. We
have a duty to the taxpayer first to ensure that there is good
stewardship of their dollars. We have to hold the U.N. accountable.
All countries benefit from an efficient, transparent, and accountable
U.N. It is not only in our interest. We have not signed away part of
our sovereignty. We are paying big dues: $442 million a year just on
the dues part. Peacekeeping is another $1 billion. To say we do not
have an obligation to make the providers that we purchase with our dues
perform honorably and efficiently does not make sense.
Mr. Chairman, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr.
Smith).
Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Chairman, I rise to oppose the Lantos-
Shays substitute and to direct Members' attention to a serious flaw in
the peacekeeping section, which I respectfully submit are reasons
enough to vote against the substitute.
The substitute amendment gives the U.N. until 2007 to complete even
the most basic tasks. This is completely unnecessary, and I submit only
encourages some states who view rape and exploitation of young women
and children by U.N. peacekeepers as a mere public relations problem
and thus an opportunity to dig in their heels and stall the reform
process.
{time} 1300
Prince Zeid has told some of us, I met with him last week, that
sustained pressure is needed to get results. We have been here before.
In 2002, we knew about the exploitation of children by U.N. personnel
in the Congo. I have already chaired two hearings on it myself in my
subcommittee. Yes, the U.N. is moving in the right direction, but there
needs to be considerable pressure brought to bear to make this happen.
What is perhaps most troubling about the substitute is that it
authorizes an up to 10 percent withholding of U.S. assessed
contributions to U.N. peacekeeping. I want to be clear on this point.
The Hyde bill supports full funding of all existing missions, while the
substitute authorizes up to a 10 percent cutoff of our assessed
contributions to U.N. peacekeeping. The withholding is linked to a
certification requirement which is, plain and simple, bad policy. The
intent is good. I have no doubt about that. But it is flawed.
The substitute requires the Secretary of State to certify that the
U.S. permanent rep at the U.N. has made every effort to ensure the
formal adoption and implementation of mechanisms to suspend the
membership of a member state if genocide, ethnic cleansing or crimes
against humanity are determined to be occurring in that member state
regardless of whether the acts are being committed by the government or
by a third party. ``Third party'' is the problem. There are countries
like the Congo, and we have also seen it in Uganda, where there are
``third-party'' groups of terrorists and killers and maimers who the
government would like to see done away with and are actively
cooperating with the international community and the U.N. itself to try
to mitigate this terrible problem.
Under this language, which is very different than the language that
the gentleman from Nebraska (Mr. Fortenberry) offered, we would be in a
strange and, I think, even bizarre situation where even where there has
been an effort made by the state, there could be an explusion and a
cutoff of peacekeeping money, 10 percent assessed contribution cutoff.
It would be wrong for a state to lose their membership when there was
no omission, no commission on their part with regards to crimes against
humanity and that is where the Fortenberry amendment got it right.
I think we can all agree that genocidal governments do not deserve to
have an equal voice at the U.N. with other peacekeeping and peace-
loving nations. But we should not punish those governments which are
fighting against those who would commit such heinous acts. I think that
language is, as I said, egregiously flawed. The Hyde amendment does get
it right.
Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Chairman, I yield for the purpose of making a
unanimous consent request to the gentlewoman from California (Ms.
Watson).
(Ms. WATSON asked and was given permission to revise and extend her
remarks.)
Ms. WATSON. Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of the Lantos substitute.
Mr. Chairman, I rise to speak in support of the substitute
legislation offered by the ranking member of the House International
Relations Committee, Mr. Tom Lantos.
As a former U.S. Ambassador, I know and appreciate that the United
Nations serves a most useful purpose. It is the only international body
that allows those countries that support the United States and those
that do not to sit down in peaceful dialogue to address issues of
concern and to work together. To maintain the opportunity to resolve
our differences, we must not cut the funds we provide to the United
Nations.
Mr. Lantos' bill supports the necessary reforms we all recognize are
needed for the
[[Page H4695]]
United Nations but does so without malice. Like H.R. 2745, the
substitute supports the goal of reforming budgeting procedures, but it
eliminates the devastating automatic withholding of 50 percent of the
dues we owe to the United Nations. We should not tie the hands of our
Secretary of State nor should we give those who do not support the
United States, an issue in which to embarrass us. The substitute gives
the Secretary of State the authority to make the cut but does not
mandate such cuts. A more preferable position.
The substitute also keeps the peacekeeping reforms of H.R. 2745 but
does not mandate the vetoing of any new or expanded U.N. peacekeeping
operation that does not serve our national interest. Again, the
flexibility contained in the substitute is preferable to H.R. 2745.
Mr. Chairman, the United States is the world leader and we should be
a leader in all areas including serving as a model country in its
relationships to the world community. This means pushing for reforms in
the United Nations when such reforms are necessary but it also means
being a good citizen and doing our part to fulfill our responsibilities
and to be a good world citizen.
Mr. Chairman, I urge support for the Lantos substitute.
Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Chairman, I am delighted to yield 30 seconds to the
gentleman from Delaware (Mr. Castle).
Mr. CASTLE. Mr. Chairman, I rise with great respect for both the
gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Hyde) and the gentleman from California
(Mr. Lantos) in this. While we can all agree that our country, as the
biggest contributor to the U.N., must help the organization become more
efficient and effective, the Lantos-Shays substitute finds a compromise
that I think reflects where the majority of Americans come down on this
issue. The Gingrich-Mitchell task force takes serious issue with much
of the damaging policies that have occurred at the U.N., but it
refrains from calling for mandatory withholding of dues. President Bush
has also signaled his opposition to many of these provisions, which may
hinder our Ambassador's dealings with the organization.
Under the Lantos-Shays substitute, we can send the same message to
the international community without undermining our efforts to promote
democracy and protect those in need.
Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of the Lantos/Shays substitute.
Chairman Hyde has been an indispensable Member of this body for many
years, and I commend you for bringing this important debate before us.
While I strongly agree with Chairman Hyde, that serious and
fundamental problems exist at the United Nations, I prefer the
President's approach of continuing to pursue negotiations for reform
through diplomatic means.
Regardless of preference for this bill, we can all agree that the
U.N. and the international community should hear our outrage for the
mismanagement of what is meant to be an example of unity and peace. I
commend the Chairman and the full committee for trying to improve the
accountability of those at the U.N. and hope this debate will trigger
reforms in the functioning of this embattled, yet well-meaning
organization.
The Lantos-Shays substitute reflects the significant reforms outlined
in the Chairman's bill. However, it makes an all important distinction
in rightly leaving the Secretary of State with the discretion to decide
when, and if, the ultimatums are a hindrance to our national interests.
Alternatively, automatically withholding funds may derail our
international and global commitments and could have a devastating
impact on poor nations around the world.
While we can all agree that our country, as the biggest contributor
to the U.N., must help the organization become more efficient and
effective, the Lantos-Shays substitute finds a compromise that I think
reflects where the majority of Americans come down on this issue. The
Gingrich-Mitchell task force takes serious issue with much of the
damaging policies that have occurred at the U.N., but it refrains from
calling for mandatory withholding of dues. President Bush has also
signaled his opposition to many of these provisions, which may hinder
our Ambassador's dealings with the organization.
Under the Lantos-Shays substitute, we can send the same message to
the international community without undermining our efforts to promote
democracy and protect those in need.
Mr. HYDE. Mr. Chairman, I am pleased to yield 2 minutes to the
gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Ros-Lehtinen).
Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Chairman, I thank our great esteemed chairman,
Chairman Hyde, for yielding me this time.
By limiting instruments of persuasion to an authorization by the
Secretary of State to withhold U.S. dues, this substitute would all but
guarantee that few of these reforms would actually be implemented. Much
of the world, including many at the U.N., would be excused if they saw
any threats as a mere bluff. The historical record tells us very
accurately that any level of success can only be done if we use our
leverage. If we adopt the Lantos-Shays substitute amendment, we will
not have that leverage.
My colleagues maintain that our legislation does not afford
sufficient flexibility. Yet a fair reading of this text reveals that
that is just not the case. First, the certifications for action are not
required until the year 2007. Secondly, this legislation allows the
Secretary of State to certify U.N. reforms that are substantially
similar to, or accomplish the same goals and the same objectives as,
the Hyde U.N. Reform Act. That is plenty of flexibility, Mr. Chairman.
If the U.N. does on its own institute these reforms, then we have no
problems. The withholding provisions in the Henry Hyde U.N. Reform Act
will only be triggered and implemented if the U.N. does not reform
itself. The onus is on the U.N. to fulfill its stated commitment to
reform.
The Constitution gives to Congress the responsibility for determining
how the public's money will be spent. The Lantos substitute proposes to
surrender that obligation, that principal source of congressional
authority, to an unelected official of the executive branch who has not
been entrusted with it by the Constitution. However burdensome that
task is, Mr. Chairman, it is ours to carry out.
Reforming the U.N. is about lives. It is not just about policies. Let
us carry out our obligation to the taxpayers by rejecting the Lantos
substitute and by affirming the Hyde bill.
Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Chairman, I am delighted to yield 2 minutes to the
gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Menendez), the chairman of the
Democratic Caucus.
(Mr. MENENDEZ asked and was given permission to revise and extend his
remarks.)
Mr. MENENDEZ. Mr. Chairman, it is time that we make real reforms at
the United Nations that address the real problems, but I believe that
the Hyde bill simply sets the United Nations up to fail by creating a
series of requirements that will be almost impossible to meet. One
might even argue that this is the actual goal of some U.N. critics. The
United Nations is governed by 191 countries, including Syria, Iran, and
North Korea, who would have to approve the majority of these changes.
This seems highly unlikely as structured by the bill. Right now this
bill is medicine which may kill the patient rather than cure a specific
disease.
The Hyde bill ties the hands of the Secretary of State with a
mandatory 50 percent withholding, even if the U.N. improves
significantly. That is like kicking a child out of school who has moved
from an F to a B because they did not get an A. The bill also keeps the
U.S. from supporting any new peacekeeping missions until far-reaching
reforms have been implemented, even in cases like a Sudan and when
innocent civilians are at risk. We do not know when and where U.N.
peacekeepers will be needed next, but we do know that we cannot risk
the lives of innocent people or risk American interests around the
world. We simply cannot create legislation which hurts our own security
interests and our national interest while we are at war.
This is a time, when our own human and financial resources are
stretched thin, for the United States to get the world to act with us
rather than destroy the institution which unites the world.
I am concerned that the bill condemns us to lose only American lives,
shed only American blood and spend only American capital instead of
having the world share this responsibility with us. That is why I urge
my colleagues to vote against the Hyde bill and to vote for the Lantos-
Shays substitute that does the reforms we want, but gives the Secretary
of State the flexibility to do the peacekeeping and to achieve the
reforms we all want to see.
Mr. HYDE. Mr. Chairman, I am pleased to yield 2 minutes to the
gentleman from California (Mr. Rohrabacher).
Mr. ROHRABACHER. Mr. Chairman, this has been a fine debate today, and
[[Page H4696]]
I believe that both sides have handled it very responsibly, but let us
take a look at what the real issue is.
There is broad agreement on both sides as to the need for reform in
the United Nations. This is not in contention. There is even broad
agreement of what changes need to be made, what are the issues at the
United Nations, a lack of accountability and some of these monstrous
atrocities that we have seen, and the inefficiency and corruption that
we have seen at the U.N. There is agreement on the problem.
The fundamental difference between the sides of this debate is
whether or not there should be consequences if the United Nations does
not reform. What is going on? The American people understand that in
order to get an organization like the United Nations to reform, there
must be consequences. Do we think the United Nations, this entrenched
bureaucracy, will just say, Oh, we're enlightened by the wonderful
debate that we've heard, you've appealed to our heart, that they are
going to make the changes that are necessary to prevent corruption in
their organization that they have lived with for years because we have
touched their hearts, we have reached their intellect? No. We have got
to make sure that there are consequences if they do not reform, or they
will not pay any attention to us.
You remember the old show Truth Or Consequences? Unless we provide
consequences for activities and actions that are wrong, we are not
going to get any truth. There will be no truth unless they have
consequences for telling us lies. For years we have lived with the lie
that the United Nations is somewhat above corruption, that the United
Nations represents the best of humankind. It will only represent the
best of humankind and reach these higher standards if we say to them,
if you are not living up to these standards, there is a price to pay.
The American people deserve to get their money's worth. We deserve to
try to put pressure on the United Nations to live up to its standards.
If we just give them a free pass, whether or not they reform or not,
there will be no reform at the United Nations, and all of this will
have gone for nothing.
Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Chairman, I am delighted to yield the balance of my
time to my distinguished Republican coauthor, the gentleman from
Connecticut (Mr. Shays).
The Acting CHAIRMAN (Mr. Simpson). The gentleman from Connecticut is
recognized for 1\1/2\ minutes.
Mr. SHAYS. I thank the gentleman for yielding me this time.
Mr. Chairman, I love Henry Hyde. I have awesome respect for Tom
Lantos. I thank the gentleman from California for supporting the
President in the war against Iraq and to go into Afghanistan. I thank
him for being such a clear thinker along with the gentleman from
Illinois on so many issues.
We are not part of the Kyoto agreement. We are not part of the land
mine agreement. We are not part of other treaties. We are not part of
the ICC, the International Criminal Court. I understand those things.
We are in a war in Afghanistan, a war in Iraq, and we are telling the
President of the United States and the Secretary of State, Forget it.
We don't care what you think. We're going ahead. Mandatory, nuclear
option. It is going to happen even if the U.N. does most of what we
ask. Even if they do 80 percent of what we ask, it is still going to
happen. Mandatory.
I cannot believe when our men and women are fighting in Iraq that we
would move forward with legislation like this when we need to draw
countries together. The problem is not all the reforms can physically
happen, and some of them will not happen, and some in the U.N. might
not even want them to happen. They are eager to have us withhold funds.
They are eager to have more people hate the United States.
The United States, the President, the Secretary of State, they are
working so hard, and they are making progress. We have a new manager,
Chris Burnham, who is the Under Secretary running the whole management
of the U.N. We are making progress.
Go with the Hyde bill, but with the flexibility to let our President
and our Secretary of State have the ability to work with these
countries to move them along and see progress.
Mr. HYDE. Mr. Chairman, I yield the balance of my time to the
gentleman from Texas (Mr. DeLay), the distinguished majority leader.
Mr. DeLAY. Mr. Chairman, I first want to thank the gentleman from
California (Mr. Lantos) for his longstanding leadership on issues
related to the United Nations and human freedom. No one has greater
respect for him in this body than I do. But in this case, Mr. Chairman,
I think and I believe that the Lantos substitute just falls a little
short.
Six decades ago, the United Nations was formed to save succeeding
generations from the scourge of war; to reaffirm faith in fundamental
human rights, in the dignity and worth of the human person, in the
equal rights of men and women and of nations large and small; and to
establish conditions under which justice and respect for the
obligations arising from treaties and other sources of international
law can be maintained; and to promote social progress and better
standards of life in larger freedom.
These words, from the preamble of the United Nations' historic
Charter, today hover over that institution not as a symbol of its
founding mission, but as a reminder of its abject failure.
{time} 1315
Far from saving future generations from the scourge of war, the
United Nations' history of hand-wringing, appeasement, and moral
equivalence has exacerbated the scourge of war.
Far from reaffirming faith and fundamental rights and the dignity of
the human person, the United Nations has overseen the degradation of
human rights even of vulnerable human beings in its own care through
routine abuses of power, corruption, and even horrific sexual
exploitation of peoples at the hands of U.N. peacekeepers.
Far from reaffirming faith in the equal rights of nations large and
small, the U.N. has instead adopted an institutional posture favoring
belligerent tyrannies at the expense of freedom-loving democracies,
standing with Palestinian terrorists against Israeli families, standing
with Saddam Hussein against the civilized world, and too often standing
with anyone against the United States of America.
Far from promoting justice and respect for international law, the
United Nations has become one of the world's greatest apologists for
tyranny and terror where justice is merely one point of view; a place
where Sudan and Syria and Castro's Cuba are given a soap-box on which
to lecture the free world on human rights; a place where international
lawyers scheme to haul American soldiers before a rogue court,
irrespective of constitutional rights; a place where an international
humanitarian mission to feed and heal the Iraqi people resulted in $10
billion in siphoned bribes and kickbacks.
And far from promoting social progress and the better standards of
life in larger freedom, the United Nations has become a hindrance to
both progress and freedom. Just ask the besieged citizens of Israel
whose every gesture of goodwill has been returned by violence from
their enemies and condemnation from the U.N.
Diplomatic pretenses aside, Mr. Chairman, corruption has infected the
United Nations. And yet given its organizational structure, how could
it be otherwise? There is no independent financial oversight. There are
no standards of transparency. Most U.N. divisions are exempt from
democratic accountability. And most U.N. leaders are protected from the
law by diplomatic immunity.
The rampant corruption that today infects the United Nations is not a
function of its personnel. Not really. It is a function of its
structure. That is what we get, Mr. Chairman, from an organization
driven by consensus instead of principle. And as long as tyrants and
terrorists get as much say in policymaking as democratically elected
leaders, the U.N. will continue to betray its charter and betray the
billions of people on this planet who look to it for hope.
This substitute essentially agrees with that conclusion. It just does
not do enough about it. But what more do we need to hear, Mr. Chairman?
The U.N.'s corruption is so breathtaking in its scope as to be almost
universal: peacekeepers raping women that they are sent to protect;
sexual exploitation of children at the hands of their humanitarian
relief workers; institutional anti-Semitism so brazen that
[[Page H4697]]
Yasser Arafat was considered a moderate; $10 billion, $10 billion,
stolen from sick and starving children in Iraq; bribery, embezzlement,
misappropriation of funds, and conflicts of interests so extensive that
the financial management of many of the U.N. agencies resembles that of
a second-rate kleptocracy.
What further evidence could we possibly need?
The pervasive corruption at the U.N. is not a problem; it is a
crisis. No one denies this. And in response to the overwhelming
evidencing, the Democrat substitute says the reforms in the underlying
bill should happen. But, Mr. Chairman, it is not enough to say that
these reforms should happen. They must happen. And they must happen
right now. We should not be asking the U.N.'s leaders to make these
reforms. We need to tell them. The philosophy of flexibility and
appeasement create loopholes that diplomats drive huge trucks through.
And if they were serious about giving the administration flexibility,
why did they not give it to the President instead of the Secretary of
State? The President leads foreign policy in this country, not the
Secretary of State.
The American people are today underwriting rampant corruption, 22
percent of it to be precise, and it needs to stop. Today the Congress
must take this stand and clearly voice not simply our frustration but
our expectation of concrete reform. We must act, Mr. Chairman. And as
he has so many times in his decades with us, the gentleman from
Illinois has shown us the way.
The gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Hyde) has brought before this House
a comprehensive, almost exhaustive, package of reform that, if enacted,
will finally bring the United Nations under some semblance of control.
If and when these reforms are enacted, Mr. Chairman, the world will be
safer and stronger. The American people will be assured their money is
being well spent, and the United Nations charter to prevent wars,
protect human rights, and advance the cause of human freedom will be
reaffirmed.
And every man, woman, and child on this planet will owe a great debt
of gratitude to Henry J. Hyde.
I just ask my colleagues to vote ``no'' on the Democratic substitute.
Vote ``yes'' on the Hyde reform bill, and let us put the United Nations
back on track to fulfill its promise to the human race.
Ms. PELOSI. Mr. Chairman, this is an instance in which both the
proponents and opponents of the Lantos substitute share the same goal:
reforming the United Nations. We differ over the best means to
accomplish that goal, and that disagreement is fundamental.
The committee bill embodies a go-it-alone, take-it-or-leave-it
approach to dealing with the United Nations that is entirely
inconsistent with the tenets of an international organization founded
on the belief that nations should be respectful of each other's views.
With the United States having so recently suffered the debacle of
dealing with U.N. members in an imperious way before the invasion of
Iraq, and then being surprised by the U.N.'s reluctance to join us on
the course we had pre-determined, one would think that the Republican
majority in the House would have learned a lesson about the kind of
approach likely to produce international cooperation. This bill is
evidence that they have not.
The committee bill mandates the withholding of dues if certain
reforms are not implemented, dictates the scope of the reforms, and
provides precious little time to have them agreed to and put in place.
The bill creates a system designed to fail, and then imposes draconian
consequences for the failure. Not only have eight former U.S.
ambassadors to the U.N. come out strongly in opposition to the bill,
but Secretary of State Rice has been noticeably silent about it.
The Lantos substitute fashions a better way to achieve needed reform
at the U.N. without imperiling American interests in peacekeeping and
other activities. That way is to provide the secretary of state with
the maximum flexibility to employ diplomacy to expand the number of
countries sharing our views on reform so that a broad-based mandate for
reform is produced. By holding out the possibility that U.S. dues would
be withheld if reform is not achieved, but not making withholding
mandatory, the substitute creates the conditions for diplomacy to work
effectively.
I urge my colleagues to recognize the interest that the United states
has in a strong and effective United Nations, and to weigh carefully
whether the steps we take in this bill will strengthen that institution
or weaken it. Reform is the right way to go and the right way to
achieve it is to adopt the Lantos substitute. I urge my colleagues to
vote for it.
Mr. FARR. Mr. Chairman, the U.N. soon to celerate its 60th
anniversary, is chartered to promote universal human rights, justice
and social progress. These are perfect ideals that the global community
must strive to put into action, but that does not mean the U.N. is a
perfect organization. Recent scandals and the lack of transparency
within the U.N. undermine the essential role the U.N. plays in world
affairs. Reform is an urgent priority but the cure for fixing these
problems should not be worse than the disease.
H.R. 2745 will hamstring the U.S.'s ability to create positive reform
within the U.N., tarnish the image of the U.S. abroad when public
opinion of the U.S., particularly in the Arab countries where is at an
all time low, and defeat the Administration's public diplomacy efforts
before Karen Hughes even assumes her new responsibilities in September.
Additionally, H.R. 2745 would halt funding for any new or expanded
peacekeeping missions. Unilaterally preventing the U.S. from supporting
new peacekeeping missions puts an untold number of lives at risk and
additionally, could endanger U.S. national security interests. In fact
many of the peacekeeping reforms contained in the Hyde bill are
endorsed by the U.N. Department of Peacekeeping Operations, and in most
cases are already underway, to address recent concerns raised about
sexual exploitation and abuse in peacekeeping missions.
Moreover, H.R. 2745 does not enjoy the full support of the
administration. According to R. Nicholas Bums, under secretary of state
for political affairs, ``We have serious concerns with the bill. We are
the founder of the U.N. We're the host country of the U.N. We're the
leading contributor to the U.N. We don't want to put ourselves in a
position where the United States is withholding 50 percent of the
American contributions to the U.N. system.''
Congress must provide the State Department with the tools and
flexibility to push for positive changes within the U.N. The Lantos/
Shays substitute would provide the authority, but not mandate, the
Secretary of State to withhold dues from the U.N. if reform measures
aren't implemented in a timely manner. The United States, as the world
leader, must take an active, positive role in helping reform the U.N.
The Lantos/Shays substitute is the step in the right direction for U.S.
reform efforts and I will vote in favor of this substitute and against
the U.N. Reform Act.
The Acting CHAIRMAN (Mr. Simpson). All time for debate on the
amendment in the nature of a substitute has expired.
The question is on the amendment in the nature of a substitute
offered by the gentleman from California (Mr. Lantos).
The question was taken; and the Acting Chairman announced that the
noes appeared to have it.
Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Chairman, I demand a recorded vote.
The Acting CHAIRMAN. Pursuant to clause 6 of rule XVIII, further
proceedings on the amendment in the nature of a substitute offered by
the gentleman from California (Mr. Lantos) will be postponed.
Sequential Votes Postponed In Committee Of The Whole
The Acting CHAIRMAN. Pursuant to clause 6 of rule XVIII, proceedings
will now resume on those amendments on which further proceedings were
postponed, in the following order: amendment No. 1 printed in subpart D
by the gentleman from California (Mr. Royce), amendment No. 2 printed
in subpart D by the gentleman from Nebraska (Mr. Fortenberry),
amendment No. 1 printed in subpart E by the gentleman from Arizona (Mr.
Flake), amendment No. 1 printed in part 2 by the gentleman from Ohio
(Mr. Chabot), amendment No. 5 printed in part 2 by the gentleman from
Indiana (Mr. Pence), amendment No. 9 printed in part 2 by the gentleman
from Texas (Mr. Gohmert), amendment No. 12 printed in part 2 by the
gentleman from Florida (Mr. Stearns), and amendment No. 13 in the
nature of a substitute printed in part 2 by the gentleman from
California (Mr. Lantos).
The first electronic vote will be conducted as a 15-minute vote.
Remaining electronic votes will be conducted as 5-minute votes.
Part 1, Subpart D Amendment No. 1 Offered by Mr. Royce
The Acting CHAIRMAN. The pending business is the demand for a
recorded vote on amendment No. 1 printed in subpart D of part 1 of
House Report No. 109-132 offered by the gentleman from California (Mr.
Royce) on which further proceedings were postponed and on which the
ayes prevailed by voice vote.
[[Page H4698]]
The Clerk will redesignate the amendment.
The Clerk redesignated the amendment.
Recorded Vote
The Acting CHAIRMAN. A recorded vote has been demanded.
A recorded vote was ordered.
The vote was taken by electronic device, and there were--ayes 373,
noes 32, not voting 28, as follows:
[Roll No. 274]
AYES--373
Abercrombie
Ackerman
Aderholt
Akin
Alexander
Allen
Baca
Bachus
Baker
Baldwin
Barrett (SC)
Barrow
Bartlett (MD)
Barton (TX)
Bass
Bean
Beauprez
Becerra
Berkley
Berman
Berry
Biggert
Bilirakis
Bishop (NY)
Bishop (UT)
Blackburn
Blunt
Boehlert
Bonilla
Bonner
Boozman
Boren
Boswell
Boucher
Boustany
Boyd
Bradley (NH)
Brady (PA)
Brady (TX)
Brown (OH)
Brown (SC)
Brown-Waite, Ginny
Burgess
Burton (IN)
Butterfield
Buyer
Calvert
Camp
Cannon
Cantor
Capito
Capps
Cardin
Cardoza
Carnahan
Carson
Carter
Case
Castle
Chabot
Chandler
Chocola
Clay
Cleaver
Coble
Cole (OK)
Conaway
Cooper
Costa
Costello
Cox
Cramer
Crenshaw
Crowley
Cubin
Culberson
Cummings
Cunningham
Davis (AL)
Davis (CA)
Davis (FL)
Davis (IL)
Davis (KY)
Davis (TN)
Davis, Jo Ann
Deal (GA)
DeFazio
DeGette
DeLauro
DeLay
Dent
Diaz-Balart, L.
Diaz-Balart, M.
Dicks
Dingell
Doggett
Doolittle
Doyle
Drake
Dreier
Duncan
Edwards
Ehlers
Emanuel
Emerson
Engel
English (PA)
Eshoo
Etheridge
Evans
Everett
Farr
Fattah
Feeney
Ferguson
Filner
Fitzpatrick (PA)
Flake
Foley
Forbes
Ford
Fortenberry
Foxx
Frank (MA)
Franks (AZ)
Frelinghuysen
Gallegly
Garrett (NJ)
Gerlach
Gibbons
Gilchrest
Gohmert
Gonzalez
Goode
Goodlatte
Gordon
Granger
Green (WI)
Green, Gene
Gutknecht
Hall
Harman
Harris
Hart
Hastings (WA)
Hayes
Hayworth
Hefley
Hensarling
Herger
Herseth
Higgins
Hinchey
Hinojosa
Hobson
Hoekstra
Holden
Holt
Honda
Hostettler
Hoyer
Hulshof
Hunter
Hyde
Inglis (SC)
Inslee
Israel
Istook
Jackson-Lee (TX)
Jefferson
Jenkins
Jindal
Johnson (CT)
Johnson (IL)
Johnson, Sam
Jones (NC)
Kaptur
Keller
Kelly
Kennedy (MN)
Kennedy (RI)
Kildee
Kilpatrick (MI)
Kind
King (IA)
King (NY)
Kingston
Kirk
Kline
Knollenberg
Kolbe
Kuhl (NY)
LaHood
Langevin
Lantos
Larsen (WA)
Latham
LaTourette
Leach
Levin
Lewis (CA)
Lewis (KY)
Linder
Lipinski
LoBiondo
Lofgren, Zoe
Lowey
Lucas
Lungren, Daniel E.
Lynch
Mack
Maloney
Manzullo
Marchant
Marshall
Matheson
Matsui
McCarthy
McCaul (TX)
McCollum (MN)
McCotter
McCrery
McHenry
McHugh
McIntyre
McKeon
McKinney
McMorris
McNulty
Meehan
Meek (FL)
Melancon
Menendez
Mica
Michaud
Miller (FL)
Miller (MI)
Miller (NC)
Miller, Gary
Miller, George
Mollohan
Moore (KS)
Moore (WI)
Moran (KS)
Moran (VA)
Murphy
Musgrave
Myrick
Nadler
Napolitano
Neal (MA)
Neugebauer
Ney
Northup
Norwood
Nunes
Nussle
Oberstar
Obey
Ortiz
Osborne
Otter
Owens
Oxley
Pallone
Pastor
Pearce
Pence
Peterson (MN)
Peterson (PA)
Petri
Pickering
Pitts
Platts
Poe
Pombo
Pomeroy
Porter
Price (GA)
Price (NC)
Pryce (OH)
Putnam
Radanovich
Rahall
Ramstad
Regula
Rehberg
Reichert
Renzi
Reynolds
Rogers (AL)
Rogers (KY)
Rogers (MI)
Rohrabacher
Ros-Lehtinen
Ross
Rothman
Roybal-Allard
Royce
Ruppersberger
Rush
Ryan (OH)
Ryan (WI)
Ryun (KS)
Sabo
Salazar
Sanchez, Linda T.
Sanchez, Loretta
Sanders
Saxton
Schiff
Schwartz (PA)
Schwarz (MI)
Scott (GA)
Sensenbrenner
Shadegg
Shaw
Shays
Sherman
Sherwood
Shimkus
Shuster
Simpson
Slaughter
Smith (NJ)
Smith (TX)
Snyder
Sodrel
Souder
Spratt
Stearns
Strickland
Stupak
Sullivan
Sweeney
Tancredo
Tanner
Tauscher
Taylor (NC)
Terry
Thomas
Thompson (CA)
Thornberry
Tiahrt
Tiberi
Tierney
Towns
Turner
Udall (CO)
Udall (NM)
Upton
Van Hollen
Velazquez
Visclosky
Walden (OR)
Wamp
Wasserman Schultz
Watt
Weiner
Weldon (FL)
Weldon (PA)
Weller
Westmoreland
Wexler
Whitfield
Wicker
Wilson (NM)
Wilson (SC)
Wolf
Wu
Wynn
Young (AK)
Young (FL)
NOES--32
Capuano
Clyburn
Conyers
Delahunt
Green, Al
Grijalva
Gutierrez
Hastings (FL)
Jackson (IL)
Jones (OH)
Kanjorski
Kucinich
Larson (CT)
Lee
Lewis (GA)
Markey
McGovern
Meeks (NY)
Murtha
Olver
Pascrell
Paul
Payne
Rangel
Schakowsky
Scott (VA)
Serrano
Solis
Thompson (MS)
Waters
Watson
Woolsey
NOT VOTING--28
Andrews
Baird
Bishop (GA)
Blumenauer
Boehner
Bono
Brown, Corrine
Cuellar
Davis, Tom
Fossella
Gillmor
Gingrey
Graves
Hooley
Issa
Johnson, E. B.
McDermott
Millender-McDonald
Pelosi
Reyes
Sessions
Simmons
Skelton
Smith (WA)
Stark
Taylor (MS)
Walsh
Waxman
{time} 1346
Messrs. SERRANO, GRIJALVA, RANGEL, and AL GREEN of Texas, and Ms.
SCHAKOWSKY changed their vote from ``aye'' to ``no.''
Messrs. LEWIS of California, SPRATT, WELDON of Florida, NADLER, and
RAHALL changed their vote from ``no'' to ``aye.''
So the amendment was agreed to.
The result of the vote was announced as above recorded.
Stated for:
Mr. FOSSELLA. Mr. Chairman, on rollcall No. 274, I was unavoidably
detained. Had I been present, I would have voted ``aye.''
Announcement by the Acting Chairman
The Acting CHAIRMAN (Mr. Simpson). The Chair would advise Members of
its intention to run this next series of votes as 5-minute votes.
Part 1, Subpart D Amendment No. 2 Offered by Mr. Fortenberry
The Acting CHAIRMAN. The pending business is the demand for a
recorded vote on the amendment offered by the gentleman from Nebraska
(Mr. Fortenberry) on which further proceedings were postponed and on
which the ayes prevailed by voice vote.
The Clerk will redesignate the amendment.
The Clerk redesignated the amendment.
Recorded Vote
The Acting CHAIRMAN. A recorded vote has been demanded.
A recorded vote was ordered.
The Acting CHAIRMAN. This will be a 5-minute vote.
The vote was taken by electronic device, and there were--ayes 375,
noes 29, not voting 29, as follows:
[Roll No. 275]
AYES--375
Abercrombie
Ackerman
Aderholt
Akin
Alexander
Allen
Baca
Bachus
Baker
Baldwin
Barrett (SC)
Barrow
Bartlett (MD)
Barton (TX)
Bass
Bean
Beauprez
Becerra
Berkley
Berman
Berry
Biggert
Bilirakis
Bishop (NY)
Bishop (UT)
Blackburn
Blunt
Boehlert
Bonilla
Bonner
Boozman
Boren
Boswell
Boucher
Boustany
Boyd
Bradley (NH)
Brady (PA)
Brady (TX)
Brown (OH)
Brown (SC)
Brown-Waite, Ginny
Burgess
Burton (IN)
Butterfield
Buyer
Calvert
Camp
Cannon
Cantor
Capito
Capps
Capuano
Cardin
Cardoza
Carnahan
Carson
Carter
Case
Castle
Chabot
Chandler
Chocola
Clay
Cleaver
Coble
Cole (OK)
Conaway
Cooper
Costa
Costello
Cox
Cramer
Crenshaw
Crowley
Cubin
Culberson
Cummings
Cunningham
Davis (AL)
Davis (CA)
Davis (FL)
Davis (IL)
Davis (KY)
Davis (TN)
Davis, Jo Ann
Deal (GA)
DeFazio
DeGette
DeLauro
DeLay
Dent
Diaz-Balart, L.
Diaz-Balart, M.
Dicks
Doggett
Doolittle
Doyle
Drake
Dreier
Duncan
Edwards
Ehlers
Emanuel
Emerson
Engel
English (PA)
Eshoo
Etheridge
Evans
Everett
Farr
Fattah
Feeney
Ferguson
Filner
Fitzpatrick (PA)
Flake
Foley
Forbes
Ford
Fortenberry
Fossella
Foxx
Frank (MA)
Franks (AZ)
Frelinghuysen
Gallegly
Garrett (NJ)
Gerlach
Gibbons
Gilchrest
Gohmert
Gonzalez
Goode
Goodlatte
Gordon
Granger
Green (WI)
Green, Al
Green, Gene
Gutknecht
Hall
Harman
Harris
Hart
Hastings (WA)
Hayes
Hayworth
Hefley
Hensarling
Herger
Herseth
Higgins
Hinchey
Hinojosa
Hobson
Hoekstra
Holden
Holt
Honda
Hostettler
Hoyer
Hulshof
Hunter
Hyde
Inglis (SC)
Inslee
Israel
Istook
Jackson-Lee (TX)
Jefferson
Jenkins
Jindal
Johnson (CT)
Johnson (IL)
Johnson, Sam
Jones (NC)
Jones (OH)
Kaptur
Keller
Kelly
Kennedy (MN)
Kennedy (RI)
Kildee
Kind
King (IA)
King (NY)
Kingston
Kirk
Kline
Knollenberg
Kolbe
Kucinich
Kuhl (NY)
LaHood
Langevin
Lantos
Larsen (WA)
Latham
LaTourette
Leach
[[Page H4699]]
Levin
Lewis (CA)
Lewis (KY)
Linder
Lipinski
LoBiondo
Lofgren, Zoe
Lowey
Lucas
Lungren, Daniel E.
Lynch
Mack
Maloney
Manzullo
Marchant
Markey
Marshall
Matheson
Matsui
McCarthy
McCaul (TX)
McCollum (MN)
McCotter
McCrery
McGovern
McHenry
McHugh
McIntyre
McKeon
McMorris
McNulty
Meehan
Melancon
Menendez
Mica
Michaud
Miller (FL)
Miller (MI)
Miller (NC)
Miller, Gary
Mollohan
Moore (KS)
Moore (WI)
Moran (KS)
Moran (VA)
Murphy
Musgrave
Myrick
Nadler
Napolitano
Neal (MA)
Neugebauer
Ney
Northup
Norwood
Nunes
Nussle
Oberstar
Obey
Olver
Ortiz
Osborne
Otter
Owens
Oxley
Pallone
Pastor
Pearce
Pence
Peterson (MN)
Peterson (PA)
Petri
Pickering
Pitts
Platts
Poe
Pombo
Pomeroy
Porter
Price (GA)
Price (NC)
Pryce (OH)
Putnam
Radanovich
Ramstad
Rangel
Regula
Rehberg
Reichert
Renzi
Reynolds
Rogers (AL)
Rogers (KY)
Rogers (MI)
Rohrabacher
Ros-Lehtinen
Ross
Rothman
Roybal-Allard
Royce
Ruppersberger
Rush
Ryan (OH)
Ryan (WI)
Ryun (KS)
Sabo
Salazar
Sanchez, Linda T.
Sanchez, Loretta
Sanders
Saxton
Schakowsky
Schiff
Schwartz (PA)
Schwarz (MI)
Scott (GA)
Sensenbrenner
Shadegg
Shaw
Shays
Sherman
Sherwood
Shimkus
Shuster
Simpson
Slaughter
Smith (NJ)
Smith (TX)
Snyder
Sodrel
Souder
Spratt
Stearns
Strickland
Stupak
Sullivan
Sweeney
Tancredo
Tanner
Tauscher
Taylor (NC)
Terry
Thomas
Thompson (CA)
Thompson (MS)
Thornberry
Tiahrt
Tiberi
Tierney
Turner
Udall (CO)
Udall (NM)
Upton
Van Hollen
Velazquez
Visclosky
Walden (OR)
Wamp
Wasserman Schultz
Weiner
Weldon (FL)
Weller
Westmoreland
Wexler
Whitfield
Wicker
Wilson (NM)
Wilson (SC)
Wolf
Wu
Wynn
Young (AK)
Young (FL)
NOES--29
Clyburn
Conyers
Delahunt
Dingell
Grijalva
Gutierrez
Hastings (FL)
Jackson (IL)
Kanjorski
Kilpatrick (MI)
Larson (CT)
Lee
Lewis (GA)
McKinney
Meek (FL)
Meeks (NY)
Miller, George
Murtha
Pascrell
Paul
Payne
Rahall
Scott (VA)
Serrano
Solis
Towns
Waters
Watson
Woolsey
NOT VOTING--29
Andrews
Baird
Bishop (GA)
Blumenauer
Boehner
Bono
Brown, Corrine
Cuellar
Davis, Tom
Gillmor
Gingrey
Graves
Hooley
Issa
Johnson, E. B.
McDermott
Millender-McDonald
Pelosi
Reyes
Sessions
Simmons
Skelton
Smith (WA)
Stark
Taylor (MS)
Walsh
Watt
Waxman
Weldon (PA)
{time} 1353
So the amendment was agreed to.
The result of the vote was announced as above recorded.
Part 1, Subpart E, Amendment No. 1 Offered by Mr. Flake
The Acting CHAIRMAN. The pending business is the demand for a
recorded vote on the amendment offered by the gentleman from Arizona
(Mr. Flake) on which further proceedings were postponed and on which
the ayes prevailed by voice vote.
The Clerk will redesignate the amendment.
The Clerk redesignated the amendment.
Recorded Vote
The Acting CHAIRMAN. A recorded vote has been demanded.
A recorded vote was ordered.
The Acting CHAIRMAN. This will be a 5-minute vote.
The vote was taken by electronic device, and there were--ayes 366,
noes 38, not voting 29, as follows:
[Roll No. 276]
AYES--366
Abercrombie
Ackerman
Aderholt
Akin
Alexander
Allen
Baca
Bachus
Baker
Baldwin
Barrett (SC)
Barrow
Bartlett (MD)
Barton (TX)
Bass
Bean
Beauprez
Becerra
Berkley
Berman
Berry
Biggert
Bilirakis
Bishop (NY)
Bishop (UT)
Blackburn
Blunt
Boehlert
Bonilla
Bonner
Boozman
Boren
Boswell
Boucher
Boustany
Boyd
Bradley (NH)
Brady (PA)
Brady (TX)
Brown (OH)
Brown (SC)
Brown-Waite, Ginny
Burgess
Burton (IN)
Butterfield
Buyer
Calvert
Camp
Cannon
Cantor
Capito
Capps
Cardin
Cardoza
Carnahan
Carson
Carter
Case
Castle
Chabot
Chandler
Chocola
Clay
Cleaver
Clyburn
Coble
Cole (OK)
Conaway
Cooper
Costa
Costello
Cox
Cramer
Crenshaw
Crowley
Cubin
Culberson
Cummings
Cunningham
Davis (AL)
Davis (CA)
Davis (FL)
Davis (KY)
Davis (TN)
Davis, Jo Ann
Deal (GA)
DeFazio
DeLauro
DeLay
Dent
Diaz-Balart, L.
Diaz-Balart, M.
Dicks
Doggett
Doolittle
Doyle
Drake
Dreier
Duncan
Edwards
Ehlers
Emanuel
Emerson
Engel
English (PA)
Eshoo
Etheridge
Evans
Everett
Fattah
Feeney
Ferguson
Filner
Fitzpatrick (PA)
Flake
Foley
Forbes
Ford
Fortenberry
Fossella
Foxx
Frank (MA)
Franks (AZ)
Frelinghuysen
Gallegly
Garrett (NJ)
Gerlach
Gibbons
Gilchrest
Gohmert
Gonzalez
Goode
Goodlatte
Gordon
Granger
Green (WI)
Green, Al
Green, Gene
Gutknecht
Hall
Harman
Harris
Hart
Hastings (WA)
Hayes
Hayworth
Hefley
Hensarling
Herger
Herseth
Higgins
Hinchey
Hinojosa
Hobson
Hoekstra
Holden
Holt
Hostettler
Hoyer
Hulshof
Hunter
Hyde
Inglis (SC)
Inslee
Israel
Istook
Jackson-Lee (TX)
Jefferson
Jenkins
Jindal
Johnson (CT)
Johnson (IL)
Johnson, Sam
Jones (NC)
Kanjorski
Keller
Kelly
Kennedy (MN)
Kennedy (RI)
Kildee
Kind
King (IA)
King (NY)
Kingston
Kirk
Kline
Knollenberg
Kolbe
Kuhl (NY)
LaHood
Langevin
Lantos
Larsen (WA)
Latham
LaTourette
Leach
Levin
Lewis (CA)
Lewis (KY)
Linder
Lipinski
LoBiondo
Lofgren, Zoe
Lowey
Lucas
Lungren, Daniel E.
Mack
Maloney
Manzullo
Marchant
Markey
Marshall
Matheson
Matsui
McCarthy
McCaul (TX)
McCotter
McCrery
McHenry
McHugh
McIntyre
McKeon
McKinney
McMorris
McNulty
Meehan
Meeks (NY)
Melancon
Menendez
Mica
Michaud
Miller (FL)
Miller (MI)
Miller (NC)
Miller, Gary
Mollohan
Moore (KS)
Moore (WI)
Moran (KS)
Moran (VA)
Murphy
Murtha
Musgrave
Myrick
Napolitano
Neal (MA)
Neugebauer
Ney
Northup
Norwood
Nunes
Nussle
Ortiz
Osborne
Otter
Oxley
Pallone
Pascrell
Pastor
Paul
Pearce
Pence
Peterson (MN)
Peterson (PA)
Petri
Pickering
Pitts
Platts
Poe
Pombo
Pomeroy
Porter
Price (GA)
Price (NC)
Pryce (OH)
Putnam
Radanovich
Rahall
Ramstad
Rangel
Regula
Rehberg
Reichert
Renzi
Reynolds
Rogers (AL)
Rogers (KY)
Rogers (MI)
Rohrabacher
Ros-Lehtinen
Ross
Rothman
Roybal-Allard
Royce
Ruppersberger
Ryan (OH)
Ryan (WI)
Ryun (KS)
Salazar
Sanchez, Linda T.
Sanchez, Loretta
Sanders
Saxton
Schiff
Schwartz (PA)
Schwarz (MI)
Scott (GA)
Sensenbrenner
Shadegg
Shaw
Shays
Sherman
Sherwood
Shimkus
Shuster
Simpson
Slaughter
Smith (NJ)
Smith (TX)
Smith (WA)
Snyder
Sodrel
Souder
Spratt
Stearns
Strickland
Stupak
Sullivan
Sweeney
Tancredo
Tanner
Tauscher
Taylor (NC)
Terry
Thomas
Thompson (CA)
Thornberry
Tiahrt
Tiberi
Towns
Turner
Udall (CO)
Udall (NM)
Upton
Van Hollen
Velazquez
Visclosky
Walden (OR)
Wamp
Wasserman Schultz
Waters
Weiner
Weldon (FL)
Weldon (PA)
Weller
Westmoreland
Wexler
Whitfield
Wicker
Wilson (NM)
Wilson (SC)
Wolf
Wu
Wynn
Young (AK)
Young (FL)
NOES--38
Capuano
Conyers
Davis (IL)
DeGette
Delahunt
Dingell
Farr
Grijalva
Gutierrez
Hastings (FL)
Honda
Jackson (IL)
Jones (OH)
Kilpatrick (MI)
Kucinich
Larson (CT)
Lee
Lewis (GA)
McCollum (MN)
McGovern
Meek (FL)
Miller, George
Nadler
Oberstar
Olver
Owens
Payne
Rush
Sabo
Schakowsky
Scott (VA)
Serrano
Solis
Thompson (MS)
Tierney
Watson
Watt
Woolsey
NOT VOTING--29
Andrews
Baird
Bishop (GA)
Blumenauer
Boehner
Bono
Brown, Corrine
Cuellar
Davis, Tom
Gillmor
Gingrey
Graves
Hooley
Issa
Johnson, E. B.
Kaptur
Lynch
McDermott
Millender-McDonald
Obey
Pelosi
Reyes
Sessions
Simmons
Skelton
Stark
Taylor (MS)
Walsh
Waxman
Announcement by the Acting Chairman
The Acting CHAIRMAN (during the vote). Members are advised 2 minutes
remain in this vote.
{time} 1400
Mr. NADLER and Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi changed their vote from
``aye'' to ``no.''
So the amendment was agreed to.
The result of the vote was announced as above recorded.
Part 2, Amendment No. 1 Offered by Mr. Chabot
The Acting CHAIRMAN (Mr. Simpson). The pending business is the demand
for a recorded vote on amendment No. 1 printed in Part 2 of House
[[Page H4700]]
Report 109-132 offered by the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Chabot) on which
further proceedings were postponed and on which the ayes prevailed by
voice vote.
The Clerk will redesignate the amendment.
The Clerk redesignated the amendment.
Recorded Vote
The Acting CHAIRMAN. A recorded vote has been demanded.
A recorded vote was ordered.
The Acting CHAIRMAN. This will be a 5-minute vote.
The vote was taken by electronic device, and there were--ayes 405,
noes 2, not voting 26, as follows:
[Roll No. 277]
AYES--405
Abercrombie
Ackerman
Aderholt
Akin
Alexander
Allen
Baca
Bachus
Baker
Baldwin
Barrett (SC)
Barrow
Bartlett (MD)
Barton (TX)
Bass
Bean
Beauprez
Becerra
Berkley
Berman
Berry
Biggert
Bilirakis
Bishop (NY)
Bishop (UT)
Blackburn
Blunt
Boehlert
Bonilla
Bonner
Boozman
Boren
Boswell
Boucher
Boustany
Boyd
Bradley (NH)
Brady (PA)
Brady (TX)
Brown (OH)
Brown (SC)
Brown-Waite, Ginny
Burgess
Burton (IN)
Butterfield
Buyer
Calvert
Camp
Cannon
Cantor
Capito
Capps
Capuano
Cardin
Cardoza
Carnahan
Carson
Carter
Case
Castle
Chabot
Chandler
Chocola
Clay
Cleaver
Clyburn
Coble
Cole (OK)
Conaway
Conyers
Cooper
Costa
Costello
Cox
Cramer
Crenshaw
Crowley
Cubin
Culberson
Cummings
Cunningham
Davis (AL)
Davis (CA)
Davis (FL)
Davis (IL)
Davis (KY)
Davis (TN)
Davis, Jo Ann
Deal (GA)
DeFazio
DeGette
Delahunt
DeLauro
DeLay
Dent
Diaz-Balart, L.
Diaz-Balart, M.
Dicks
Dingell
Doggett
Doolittle
Doyle
Drake
Dreier
Duncan
Edwards
Ehlers
Emanuel
Emerson
Engel
English (PA)
Eshoo
Etheridge
Evans
Everett
Farr
Fattah
Feeney
Ferguson
Filner
Fitzpatrick (PA)
Flake
Foley
Forbes
Ford
Fortenberry
Fossella
Foxx
Frank (MA)
Franks (AZ)
Frelinghuysen
Gallegly
Garrett (NJ)
Gerlach
Gibbons
Gilchrest
Gohmert
Gonzalez
Goode
Goodlatte
Gordon
Granger
Green (WI)
Green, Al
Green, Gene
Grijalva
Gutierrez
Gutknecht
Hall
Harman
Harris
Hart
Hastings (FL)
Hastings (WA)
Hayes
Hayworth
Hefley
Hensarling
Herger
Herseth
Higgins
Hinchey
Hinojosa
Hobson
Hoekstra
Holden
Holt
Honda
Hostettler
Hoyer
Hulshof
Hunter
Hyde
Inglis (SC)
Inslee
Israel
Istook
Jackson (IL)
Jackson-Lee (TX)
Jefferson
Jenkins
Jindal
Johnson (CT)
Johnson (IL)
Johnson, Sam
Jones (NC)
Jones (OH)
Kanjorski
Kaptur
Keller
Kelly
Kennedy (MN)
Kennedy (RI)
Kildee
Kilpatrick (MI)
Kind
King (IA)
King (NY)
Kingston
Kirk
Kline
Knollenberg
Kolbe
Kucinich
Kuhl (NY)
LaHood
Langevin
Lantos
Larsen (WA)
Larson (CT)
Latham
LaTourette
Leach
Lee
Levin
Lewis (CA)
Lewis (GA)
Lewis (KY)
Linder
Lipinski
LoBiondo
Lofgren, Zoe
Lowey
Lucas
Lungren, Daniel E.
Lynch
Mack
Maloney
Manzullo
Marchant
Markey
Marshall
Matheson
Matsui
McCarthy
McCaul (TX)
McCollum (MN)
McCotter
McCrery
McGovern
McHenry
McHugh
McIntyre
McKeon
McMorris
McNulty
Meehan
Meek (FL)
Meeks (NY)
Melancon
Menendez
Mica
Michaud
Miller (FL)
Miller (MI)
Miller (NC)
Miller, Gary
Miller, George
Mollohan
Moore (KS)
Moore (WI)
Moran (KS)
Moran (VA)
Murphy
Murtha
Musgrave
Myrick
Nadler
Napolitano
Neal (MA)
Neugebauer
Ney
Northup
Norwood
Nunes
Nussle
Oberstar
Obey
Olver
Ortiz
Osborne
Otter
Owens
Oxley
Pallone
Pascrell
Pastor
Payne
Pearce
Pence
Peterson (MN)
Peterson (PA)
Petri
Pickering
Pitts
Platts
Poe
Pombo
Pomeroy
Porter
Price (GA)
Price (NC)
Pryce (OH)
Putnam
Radanovich
Rahall
Ramstad
Rangel
Regula
Rehberg
Reichert
Renzi
Reynolds
Rogers (AL)
Rogers (KY)
Rogers (MI)
Rohrabacher
Ros-Lehtinen
Ross
Rothman
Roybal-Allard
Royce
Ruppersberger
Rush
Ryan (OH)
Ryan (WI)
Ryun (KS)
Sabo
Salazar
Sanchez, Linda T.
Sanchez, Loretta
Sanders
Saxton
Schakowsky
Schiff
Schwartz (PA)
Schwarz (MI)
Scott (GA)
Scott (VA)
Sensenbrenner
Serrano
Shadegg
Shaw
Shays
Sherman
Sherwood
Shimkus
Shuster
Simpson
Slaughter
Smith (NJ)
Smith (TX)
Smith (WA)
Snyder
Sodrel
Solis
Souder
Spratt
Stearns
Strickland
Stupak
Sullivan
Sweeney
Tancredo
Tanner
Tauscher
Taylor (MS)
Taylor (NC)
Terry
Thomas
Thompson (CA)
Thompson (MS)
Thornberry
Tiahrt
Tiberi
Tierney
Towns
Turner
Udall (CO)
Udall (NM)
Upton
Van Hollen
Visclosky
Walden (OR)
Wamp
Wasserman Schultz
Waters
Watson
Watt
Weiner
Weldon (FL)
Weldon (PA)
Weller
Westmoreland
Wexler
Whitfield
Wicker
Wilson (NM)
Wilson (SC)
Wolf
Woolsey
Wu
Wynn
Young (AK)
Young (FL)
NOES--2
McKinney
Paul
NOT VOTING--26
Andrews
Baird
Bishop (GA)
Blumenauer
Boehner
Bono
Brown, Corrine
Cuellar
Davis, Tom
Gillmor
Gingrey
Graves
Hooley
Issa
Johnson, E. B.
McDermott
Millender-McDonald
Pelosi
Reyes
Sessions
Simmons
Skelton
Stark
Velazquez
Walsh
Waxman
Announcement by the Acting Chairman
The Acting CHAIRMAN (during the vote). Members are advised that there
are 2 minutes remaining in this vote.
{time} 1407
Mr. CONYERS changed his vote from ``no'' to ``aye.''
So the amendment was agreed to.
The result of the vote was announced as above recorded.
Part 2 Amendment No. 5 Offered by Mr. Pence
The Acting CHAIRMAN. The pending business is the demand for a
recorded vote on amendment No. 5 printed in Part 2 of House Report 109-
132 offered by the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Pence) on which further
proceedings were postponed and on which the ayes prevailed by voice
vote.
The Clerk will redesignate the amendment.
The Clerk redesignated the amendment.
Recorded Vote
The Acting CHAIRMAN. A recorded vote has been demanded.
A recorded vote was ordered.
The Acting CHAIRMAN. This will be a 5-minute vote.
The vote was taken by electronic device, and there were--ayes 281,
noes 126, not voting 26, as follows:
[Roll No. 278]
AYES--281
Abercrombie
Aderholt
Akin
Alexander
Bachus
Baker
Barrett (SC)
Barrow
Bartlett (MD)
Barton (TX)
Bass
Bean
Beauprez
Berkley
Berry
Bilirakis
Bishop (UT)
Blackburn
Blunt
Boehlert
Bonilla
Bonner
Boozman
Boren
Boustany
Boyd
Bradley (NH)
Brady (TX)
Brown (SC)
Brown-Waite, Ginny
Burgess
Burton (IN)
Butterfield
Buyer
Calvert
Camp
Cannon
Cantor
Capito
Cardin
Cardoza
Carnahan
Carter
Castle
Chabot
Chandler
Coble
Cole (OK)
Conaway
Costa
Costello
Cox
Cramer
Crenshaw
Cubin
Culberson
Cunningham
Davis (AL)
Davis (FL)
Davis (KY)
Davis (TN)
Davis, Jo Ann
Deal (GA)
DeFazio
DeLay
Dent
Diaz-Balart, L.
Diaz-Balart, M.
Doolittle
Doyle
Drake
Dreier
Duncan
Edwards
Ehlers
Emanuel
Emerson
Engel
English (PA)
Etheridge
Everett
Feeney
Ferguson
Fitzpatrick (PA)
Flake
Foley
Forbes
Ford
Fortenberry
Fossella
Foxx
Frank (MA)
Franks (AZ)
Frelinghuysen
Gallegly
Garrett (NJ)
Gerlach
Gibbons
Gohmert
Goode
Goodlatte
Granger
Green (WI)
Green, Gene
Gutknecht
Hall
Harris
Hart
Hastings (WA)
Hayes
Hayworth
Hefley
Hensarling
Herger
Herseth
Higgins
Hobson
Hoekstra
Holden
Hostettler
Hoyer
Hulshof
Hunter
Hyde
Inglis (SC)
Istook
Jenkins
Jindal
Johnson (CT)
Johnson (IL)
Johnson, Sam
Jones (NC)
Keller
Kelly
Kennedy (MN)
King (IA)
King (NY)
Kingston
Kline
Knollenberg
Kuhl (NY)
LaHood
Langevin
Lantos
Latham
Lewis (CA)
Lewis (KY)
Linder
Lipinski
LoBiondo
Lowey
Lucas
Lungren, Daniel E.
Lynch
Mack
Maloney
Manzullo
Marchant
Matheson
Matsui
McCarthy
McCaul (TX)
McCotter
McCrery
McHenry
McHugh
McIntyre
McKeon
McMorris
Melancon
Menendez
Mica
Miller (FL)
Miller (MI)
Miller, Gary
Mollohan
Moore (KS)
Moore (WI)
Moran (KS)
Murphy
Musgrave
Myrick
Napolitano
Neugebauer
Ney
Northup
Norwood
Nunes
Nussle
Osborne
Otter
Oxley
Pearce
Pence
Peterson (MN)
Peterson (PA)
Petri
Pickering
Pitts
Platts
Poe
Pombo
Pomeroy
Porter
Price (GA)
Pryce (OH)
Putnam
Radanovich
Ramstad
Rangel
Regula
Rehberg
Reichert
Renzi
Reynolds
Rogers (AL)
Rogers (KY)
Rogers (MI)
Rohrabacher
Ros-Lehtinen
[[Page H4701]]
Ross
Rothman
Royce
Ruppersberger
Ryan (OH)
Ryan (WI)
Ryun (KS)
Salazar
Saxton
Schiff
Schwartz (PA)
Schwarz (MI)
Scott (GA)
Sensenbrenner
Shadegg
Shaw
Shays
Sherwood
Shimkus
Shuster
Simpson
Smith (NJ)
Smith (TX)
Sodrel
Souder
Spratt
Stearns
Strickland
Sullivan
Sweeney
Tancredo
Tanner
Taylor (MS)
Taylor (NC)
Terry
Thomas
Thompson (CA)
Thornberry
Tiahrt
Tiberi
Turner
Udall (CO)
Udall (NM)
Upton
Visclosky
Walden (OR)
Wamp
Wasserman Schultz
Weiner
Weldon (FL)
Weldon (PA)
Weller
Westmoreland
Whitfield
Wicker
Wilson (SC)
Wolf
Wu
Wynn
Young (AK)
Young (FL)
NOES--126
Ackerman
Allen
Baca
Baldwin
Becerra
Berman
Biggert
Bishop (NY)
Boswell
Boucher
Brady (PA)
Brown (OH)
Capps
Capuano
Carson
Case
Clay
Cleaver
Clyburn
Conyers
Cooper
Crowley
Cummings
Davis (CA)
Davis (IL)
DeGette
Delahunt
DeLauro
Dicks
Dingell
Doggett
Eshoo
Evans
Farr
Fattah
Filner
Gilchrest
Gonzalez
Gordon
Green, Al
Grijalva
Gutierrez
Harman
Hastings (FL)
Hinchey
Hinojosa
Holt
Honda
Inslee
Israel
Jackson (IL)
Jackson-Lee (TX)
Jefferson
Jones (OH)
Kanjorski
Kaptur
Kennedy (RI)
Kildee
Kilpatrick (MI)
Kind
Kirk
Kolbe
Kucinich
Larsen (WA)
Larson (CT)
LaTourette
Leach
Lee
Levin
Lewis (GA)
Lofgren, Zoe
Markey
Marshall
McCollum (MN)
McGovern
McKinney
McNulty
Meehan
Meek (FL)
Meeks (NY)
Michaud
Miller (NC)
Miller, George
Moran (VA)
Murtha
Nadler
Neal (MA)
Oberstar
Obey
Olver
Ortiz
Owens
Pallone
Pascrell
Pastor
Paul
Payne
Price (NC)
Rahall
Roybal-Allard
Rush
Sabo
Sanchez, Linda T.
Sanchez, Loretta
Sanders
Schakowsky
Scott (VA)
Serrano
Sherman
Slaughter
Smith (WA)
Snyder
Solis
Stupak
Tauscher
Thompson (MS)
Tierney
Towns
Van Hollen
Velazquez
Waters
Watson
Watt
Wexler
Wilson (NM)
Woolsey
NOT VOTING--26
Andrews
Baird
Bishop (GA)
Blumenauer
Boehner
Bono
Brown, Corrine
Chocola
Cuellar
Davis, Tom
Gillmor
Gingrey
Graves
Hooley
Issa
Johnson, E. B.
McDermott
Millender-McDonald
Pelosi
Reyes
Sessions
Simmons
Skelton
Stark
Walsh
Waxman
{time} 1414
So the amendment was agreed to.
The result of the vote was announced as above recorded.
Part 2, Amendment No. 9 Offered by Mr. Gohmert
The Acting CHAIRMAN (Mr. Simpson). The pending business is the demand
for a recorded vote on the amendment offered by the gentleman from
Texas (Mr. Gohmert) on which further proceedings were postponed and on
which the noes prevailed by voice vote.
The Clerk will redesignate the amendment.
The Clerk redesignated the amendment.
Recorded Vote
The Acting CHAIRMAN. A recorded vote has been demanded.
A recorded vote was ordered.
The Acting CHAIRMAN. This will be a 5-minute vote.
The vote was taken by electronic device, and there were--ayes 108,
noes 297, not voting 28, as follows:
[Roll No. 279]
AYES--108
Akin
Alexander
Baker
Barrett (SC)
Bartlett (MD)
Barton (TX)
Bilirakis
Bishop (UT)
Blunt
Brady (TX)
Brown (SC)
Brown-Waite, Ginny
Burgess
Burton (IN)
Buyer
Cannon
Cantor
Capito
Carter
Chabot
Coble
Conaway
Culberson
Davis (KY)
Davis, Jo Ann
Deal (GA)
DeLay
Diaz-Balart, M.
Doolittle
Drake
Duncan
Emerson
Feeney
Foley
Forbes
Foxx
Franks (AZ)
Garrett (NJ)
Gibbons
Gohmert
Goode
Goodlatte
Green, Gene
Hall
Hart
Hayes
Hayworth
Hefley
Herger
Hostettler
Hulshof
Jenkins
Johnson, Sam
Jones (NC)
Keller
Kelly
King (IA)
Kingston
LaTourette
Lewis (KY)
Linder
Lucas
Manzullo
Marchant
McCaul (TX)
McCrery
McHenry
McKeon
McMorris
Mica
Miller (MI)
Miller, Gary
Moran (KS)
Musgrave
Myrick
Neugebauer
Ney
Norwood
Otter
Paul
Peterson (PA)
Pickering
Pitts
Platts
Poe
Pombo
Price (GA)
Rehberg
Rohrabacher
Royce
Ryun (KS)
Sensenbrenner
Shadegg
Shuster
Smith (TX)
Sodrel
Stearns
Sullivan
Tancredo
Taylor (MS)
Taylor (NC)
Tiahrt
Tiberi
Wamp
Weldon (FL)
Westmoreland
Wilson (SC)
Young (AK)
NOES--297
Abercrombie
Ackerman
Aderholt
Allen
Baca
Bachus
Baldwin
Barrow
Bass
Bean
Beauprez
Becerra
Berkley
Berman
Berry
Biggert
Bishop (NY)
Blackburn
Boehlert
Bonilla
Bonner
Boozman
Boren
Boswell
Boucher
Boustany
Boyd
Bradley (NH)
Brady (PA)
Brown (OH)
Butterfield
Calvert
Camp
Capps
Capuano
Cardin
Cardoza
Carnahan
Carson
Case
Castle
Chandler
Chocola
Clay
Cleaver
Clyburn
Cole (OK)
Conyers
Cooper
Costa
Costello
Cox
Cramer
Crenshaw
Crowley
Cubin
Cummings
Cunningham
Davis (AL)
Davis (CA)
Davis (FL)
Davis (IL)
Davis (TN)
DeFazio
DeGette
Delahunt
DeLauro
Dent
Dicks
Dingell
Doggett
Doyle
Dreier
Edwards
Ehlers
Emanuel
Engel
English (PA)
Eshoo
Etheridge
Evans
Everett
Farr
Fattah
Ferguson
Filner
Fitzpatrick (PA)
Flake
Ford
Fortenberry
Fossella
Frank (MA)
Frelinghuysen
Gallegly
Gerlach
Gilchrest
Gonzalez
Gordon
Granger
Green (WI)
Green, Al
Grijalva
Gutierrez
Gutknecht
Harman
Harris
Hastings (FL)
Hastings (WA)
Hensarling
Herseth
Higgins
Hinchey
Hinojosa
Hobson
Hoekstra
Holden
Holt
Honda
Hoyer
Hunter
Hyde
Inglis (SC)
Inslee
Israel
Jackson (IL)
Jackson-Lee (TX)
Jefferson
Jindal
Johnson (CT)
Johnson (IL)
Jones (OH)
Kanjorski
Kaptur
Kennedy (MN)
Kildee
Kilpatrick (MI)
Kind
King (NY)
Kirk
Kline
Knollenberg
Kolbe
Kucinich
Kuhl (NY)
LaHood
Langevin
Lantos
Larsen (WA)
Larson (CT)
Latham
Leach
Lee
Levin
Lewis (CA)
Lewis (GA)
Lipinski
LoBiondo
Lofgren, Zoe
Lowey
Lungren, Daniel E.
Lynch
Mack
Maloney
Markey
Marshall
Matheson
Matsui
McCarthy
McCollum (MN)
McCotter
McGovern
McHugh
McIntyre
McKinney
McNulty
Meehan
Meek (FL)
Meeks (NY)
Melancon
Menendez
Michaud
Miller (FL)
Miller (NC)
Miller, George
Mollohan
Moore (KS)
Moore (WI)
Moran (VA)
Murphy
Murtha
Nadler
Napolitano
Neal (MA)
Northup
Nunes
Nussle
Oberstar
Obey
Olver
Ortiz
Osborne
Owens
Oxley
Pallone
Pascrell
Pastor
Payne
Pearce
Pence
Peterson (MN)
Petri
Pomeroy
Porter
Price (NC)
Pryce (OH)
Putnam
Radanovich
Rahall
Ramstad
Rangel
Regula
Reichert
Renzi
Reynolds
Rogers (AL)
Rogers (KY)
Rogers (MI)
Ros-Lehtinen
Ross
Rothman
Roybal-Allard
Ruppersberger
Rush
Ryan (OH)
Ryan (WI)
Sabo
Salazar
Sanchez, Linda T.
Sanchez, Loretta
Sanders
Saxton
Schakowsky
Schiff
Schwartz (PA)
Schwarz (MI)
Scott (GA)
Scott (VA)
Serrano
Shaw
Shays
Sherman
Sherwood
Shimkus
Simpson
Slaughter
Smith (NJ)
Smith (WA)
Snyder
Solis
Souder
Spratt
Strickland
Stupak
Sweeney
Tanner
Tauscher
Terry
Thomas
Thompson (CA)
Thompson (MS)
Thornberry
Tierney
Towns
Turner
Udall (CO)
Udall (NM)
Upton
Van Hollen
Velazquez
Visclosky
Walden (OR)
Wasserman Schultz
Waters
Watson
Watt
Weiner
Weldon (PA)
Weller
Wexler
Whitfield
Wicker
Wilson (NM)
Wolf
Woolsey
Wu
Wynn
Young (FL)
NOT VOTING--28
Andrews
Baird
Bishop (GA)
Blumenauer
Boehner
Bono
Brown, Corrine
Cuellar
Davis, Tom
Diaz-Balart, L.
Gillmor
Gingrey
Graves
Hooley
Issa
Istook
Johnson, E. B.
Kennedy (RI)
McDermott
Millender-McDonald
Pelosi
Reyes
Sessions
Simmons
Skelton
Stark
Walsh
Waxman
Announcement by the Acting Chairman
The Acting CHAIRMAN (during the vote). Members are advised there are
2 minutes remaining in this vote.
{time} 1420
So the amendment was rejected.
The result of the vote was announced as above recorded.
Part 2, Amendment No. 12 Offered by Mr. Stearns
The Acting CHAIRMAN. The pending business is the demand for a
recorded vote on the amendment offered by the gentleman from Florida
(Mr. Stearns) on which further proceedings were postponed and on which
the noes prevailed by voice vote.
The Clerk will redesignate the amendment.
The Clerk redesignated the amendment.
[[Page H4702]]
Recorded Vote
The Acting CHAIRMAN. A recorded vote has been demanded.
A recorded vote was ordered.
The Acting CHAIRMAN. This will be a 5-minute vote.
The vote was taken by electronic device, and there were--ayes 100,
noes 306, not voting 27, as follows:
[Roll No. 280]
AYES--100
Aderholt
Akin
Alexander
Bachus
Baker
Barrett (SC)
Bartlett (MD)
Barton (TX)
Beauprez
Bishop (UT)
Blackburn
Boozman
Boustany
Brown (SC)
Burgess
Burton (IN)
Buyer
Cannon
Carter
Chabot
Coble
Davis, Jo Ann
Deal (GA)
Diaz-Balart, M.
Doolittle
Drake
Duncan
Emerson
Feeney
Foley
Forbes
Foxx
Franks (AZ)
Garrett (NJ)
Gibbons
Gohmert
Goode
Green (WI)
Green, Gene
Hayes
Hayworth
Hefley
Herger
Hostettler
Hulshof
Hunter
Istook
Jenkins
Jindal
Johnson, Sam
Jones (NC)
Keller
King (IA)
Kingston
Lewis (KY)
Linder
Lucas
Lynch
Manzullo
Marchant
McCaul (TX)
McCrery
McHenry
McKeon
Miller (FL)
Miller (MI)
Miller, Gary
Moran (KS)
Musgrave
Myrick
Neugebauer
Ney
Norwood
Otter
Paul
Petri
Platts
Pombo
Price (GA)
Radanovich
Rehberg
Renzi
Rogers (AL)
Rohrabacher
Royce
Ryun (KS)
Sensenbrenner
Shuster
Souder
Stearns
Sullivan
Tancredo
Taylor (MS)
Terry
Tiahrt
Tiberi
Wamp
Weldon (FL)
Westmoreland
Wilson (SC)
NOES--306
Abercrombie
Ackerman
Allen
Baca
Baldwin
Barrow
Bass
Bean
Becerra
Berkley
Berman
Berry
Bilirakis
Bishop (NY)
Blunt
Boehlert
Bonilla
Bonner
Boren
Boswell
Boucher
Boyd
Bradley (NH)
Brady (PA)
Brady (TX)
Brown (OH)
Brown-Waite, Ginny
Butterfield
Calvert
Camp
Cantor
Capito
Capps
Capuano
Cardin
Cardoza
Carnahan
Carson
Case
Castle
Chandler
Chocola
Clay
Cleaver
Clyburn
Cole (OK)
Conaway
Conyers
Cooper
Costa
Costello
Cox
Cramer
Crenshaw
Crowley
Cubin
Culberson
Cummings
Cunningham
Davis (AL)
Davis (CA)
Davis (FL)
Davis (IL)
Davis (KY)
Davis (TN)
DeFazio
DeGette
Delahunt
DeLauro
DeLay
Dent
Diaz-Balart, L.
Dicks
Dingell
Doggett
Doyle
Dreier
Edwards
Ehlers
Emanuel
Engel
English (PA)
Eshoo
Etheridge
Evans
Everett
Farr
Fattah
Ferguson
Filner
Fitzpatrick (PA)
Flake
Ford
Fortenberry
Fossella
Frank (MA)
Frelinghuysen
Gallegly
Gerlach
Gilchrest
Gonzalez
Goodlatte
Gordon
Granger
Green, Al
Grijalva
Gutierrez
Gutknecht
Hall
Harman
Harris
Hart
Hastings (FL)
Hastings (WA)
Hensarling
Herseth
Higgins
Hinchey
Hinojosa
Hobson
Hoekstra
Holden
Holt
Honda
Hoyer
Hyde
Inglis (SC)
Inslee
Israel
Jackson (IL)
Jackson-Lee (TX)
Jefferson
Johnson (CT)
Johnson (IL)
Jones (OH)
Kanjorski
Kaptur
Kelly
Kennedy (MN)
Kildee
Kilpatrick (MI)
Kind
King (NY)
Kirk
Kline
Knollenberg
Kolbe
Kucinich
Kuhl (NY)
LaHood
Langevin
Lantos
Larsen (WA)
Larson (CT)
Latham
LaTourette
Leach
Lee
Levin
Lewis (CA)
Lewis (GA)
Lipinski
LoBiondo
Lofgren, Zoe
Lowey
Lungren, Daniel E.
Mack
Maloney
Markey
Marshall
Matheson
Matsui
McCarthy
McCollum (MN)
McCotter
McGovern
McHugh
McIntyre
McKinney
McMorris
McNulty
Meehan
Meek (FL)
Meeks (NY)
Melancon
Menendez
Mica
Michaud
Miller (NC)
Miller, George
Mollohan
Moore (KS)
Moore (WI)
Moran (VA)
Murphy
Murtha
Nadler
Napolitano
Neal (MA)
Northup
Nunes
Nussle
Oberstar
Obey
Olver
Ortiz
Osborne
Owens
Oxley
Pallone
Pascrell
Pastor
Payne
Pearce
Pence
Peterson (MN)
Peterson (PA)
Pickering
Pitts
Poe
Pomeroy
Porter
Price (NC)
Pryce (OH)
Putnam
Rahall
Ramstad
Rangel
Regula
Reichert
Reynolds
Rogers (KY)
Rogers (MI)
Ros-Lehtinen
Ross
Rothman
Roybal-Allard
Ruppersberger
Rush
Ryan (OH)
Ryan (WI)
Sabo
Salazar
Sanchez, Linda T.
Sanchez, Loretta
Sanders
Saxton
Schakowsky
Schiff
Schwartz (PA)
Schwarz (MI)
Scott (GA)
Scott (VA)
Serrano
Shadegg
Shaw
Shays
Sherman
Sherwood
Shimkus
Simpson
Slaughter
Smith (NJ)
Smith (TX)
Smith (WA)
Snyder
Sodrel
Solis
Spratt
Strickland
Stupak
Sweeney
Tanner
Tauscher
Taylor (NC)
Thomas
Thompson (CA)
Thompson (MS)
Thornberry
Tierney
Towns
Turner
Udall (CO)
Udall (NM)
Upton
Van Hollen
Velazquez
Visclosky
Walden (OR)
Wasserman Schultz
Waters
Watson
Watt
Weiner
Weldon (PA)
Weller
Wexler
Whitfield
Wicker
Wilson (NM)
Wolf
Woolsey
Wu
Wynn
Young (AK)
Young (FL)
NOT VOTING--27
Andrews
Baird
Biggert
Bishop (GA)
Blumenauer
Boehner
Bono
Brown, Corrine
Cuellar
Davis, Tom
Gillmor
Gingrey
Graves
Hooley
Issa
Johnson, E. B.
Kennedy (RI)
McDermott
Millender-McDonald
Pelosi
Reyes
Sessions
Simmons
Skelton
Stark
Walsh
Waxman
Announcement by the Acting Chairman
The Acting CHAIRMAN (during the vote). Members are advised there are
2 minutes remaining in this vote.
{time} 1427
So the amendment was rejected.
The result of the vote was announced as above recorded.
Part 2, Amendment No. 13 in the Nature of a Substitute Offered by Mr.
Lantos
The Acting CHAIRMAN. The pending business is the demand for a
recorded vote on the amendment in the nature of a substitute offered by
the gentleman from California (Mr. Lantos) on which further proceedings
were postponed and on which the noes prevailed by voice vote.
The Clerk will redesignate the amendment in the nature of a
substitute.
The Clerk redesignated the amendment in the nature of a substitute.
Recorded Vote
The Acting CHAIRMAN. A recorded vote has been demanded.
A recorded vote was ordered.
The Acting CHAIRMAN. This will be a 5-minute vote.
The vote was taken by electronic device, and there were--ayes 190,
noes 216, not voting 27, as follows:
[Roll No. 281]
AYES--190
Abercrombie
Ackerman
Allen
Baca
Baldwin
Barrow
Bass
Bean
Becerra
Berkley
Berman
Berry
Bishop (NY)
Boehlert
Boren
Boswell
Boucher
Boyd
Brady (PA)
Brown (OH)
Butterfield
Capps
Capuano
Cardin
Cardoza
Carnahan
Carson
Case
Castle
Chandler
Clay
Cleaver
Clyburn
Conyers
Cooper
Costa
Costello
Cramer
Crowley
Cummings
Davis (AL)
Davis (CA)
Davis (FL)
Davis (IL)
Davis (TN)
DeFazio
DeGette
Delahunt
DeLauro
Dicks
Dingell
Doggett
Doyle
Edwards
Ehlers
Emanuel
Engel
Eshoo
Etheridge
Evans
Farr
Fattah
Filner
Ford
Frank (MA)
Gonzalez
Gordon
Green, Al
Green, Gene
Gutierrez
Harman
Hastings (FL)
Herseth
Higgins
Hinchey
Hinojosa
Holden
Holt
Honda
Hoyer
Inglis (SC)
Inslee
Israel
Jackson (IL)
Jackson-Lee (TX)
Jefferson
Johnson (CT)
Jones (OH)
Kanjorski
Kaptur
Kildee
Kilpatrick (MI)
Kind
Kucinich
LaHood
Langevin
Lantos
Larsen (WA)
Larson (CT)
Leach
Lee
Levin
Lewis (GA)
Lipinski
Lofgren, Zoe
Lowey
Lynch
Maloney
Markey
Marshall
Matheson
Matsui
McCarthy
McCollum (MN)
McGovern
McIntyre
McNulty
Meehan
Meek (FL)
Meeks (NY)
Melancon
Menendez
Michaud
Miller (NC)
Miller, George
Mollohan
Moore (KS)
Moore (WI)
Moran (VA)
Nadler
Napolitano
Neal (MA)
Oberstar
Obey
Olver
Ortiz
Owens
Pallone
Pascrell
Payne
Pomeroy
Price (NC)
Rahall
Rangel
Ross
Rothman
Roybal-Allard
Ruppersberger
Rush
Ryan (OH)
Sabo
Salazar
Sanchez, Linda T.
Sanchez, Loretta
Sanders
Schakowsky
Schiff
Schwartz (PA)
Scott (GA)
Scott (VA)
Serrano
Shays
Sherman
Slaughter
Smith (WA)
Snyder
Solis
Spratt
Strickland
Stupak
Tanner
Tauscher
Thompson (CA)
Thompson (MS)
Tierney
Towns
Udall (CO)
Udall (NM)
Van Hollen
Velazquez
Visclosky
Wasserman Schultz
Waters
Watson
Watt
Weiner
Wexler
Woolsey
Wu
Wynn
NOES--216
Aderholt
Akin
Alexander
Bachus
Baker
Barrett (SC)
Bartlett (MD)
Barton (TX)
Beauprez
Biggert
Bilirakis
Bishop (UT)
Blackburn
Blunt
Bonilla
Bonner
Boozman
Boustany
Bradley (NH)
Brady (TX)
Brown (SC)
Brown-Waite, Ginny
Burgess
Burton (IN)
Buyer
Calvert
Camp
Cannon
Cantor
Capito
Carter
Chabot
Chocola
Coble
Cole (OK)
Conaway
Cox
Crenshaw
Cubin
Culberson
Cunningham
Davis (KY)
Davis, Jo Ann
Deal (GA)
DeLay
Dent
Diaz-Balart, L.
Diaz-Balart, M.
Doolittle
Drake
[[Page H4703]]
Dreier
Duncan
Emerson
English (PA)
Everett
Feeney
Ferguson
Fitzpatrick (PA)
Flake
Foley
Forbes
Fortenberry
Fossella
Foxx
Franks (AZ)
Frelinghuysen
Gallegly
Garrett (NJ)
Gerlach
Gibbons
Gilchrest
Gohmert
Goode
Goodlatte
Granger
Green (WI)
Grijalva
Gutknecht
Hall
Harris
Hart
Hastings (WA)
Hayes
Hayworth
Hefley
Hensarling
Herger
Hobson
Hoekstra
Hostettler
Hulshof
Hunter
Hyde
Istook
Jenkins
Jindal
Johnson (IL)
Johnson, Sam
Jones (NC)
Keller
Kelly
Kennedy (MN)
King (IA)
King (NY)
Kingston
Kirk
Kline
Knollenberg
Kolbe
Kuhl (NY)
Latham
LaTourette
Lewis (CA)
Lewis (KY)
Linder
LoBiondo
Lucas
Lungren, Daniel E.
Mack
Manzullo
Marchant
McCaul (TX)
McCotter
McCrery
McHenry
McHugh
McKeon
McKinney
McMorris
Mica
Miller (FL)
Miller (MI)
Miller, Gary
Moran (KS)
Murphy
Murtha
Musgrave
Myrick
Neugebauer
Ney
Northup
Norwood
Nunes
Nussle
Osborne
Otter
Oxley
Pastor
Paul
Pearce
Pence
Peterson (PA)
Petri
Pickering
Pitts
Platts
Poe
Pombo
Porter
Price (GA)
Pryce (OH)
Putnam
Radanovich
Ramstad
Regula
Rehberg
Reichert
Renzi
Reynolds
Rogers (AL)
Rogers (KY)
Rogers (MI)
Rohrabacher
Ros-Lehtinen
Royce
Ryan (WI)
Ryun (KS)
Saxton
Schwarz (MI)
Sensenbrenner
Shadegg
Shaw
Sherwood
Shimkus
Shuster
Simpson
Smith (NJ)
Smith (TX)
Sodrel
Souder
Stearns
Sullivan
Sweeney
Tancredo
Taylor (MS)
Taylor (NC)
Terry
Thomas
Thornberry
Tiahrt
Tiberi
Turner
Upton
Walden (OR)
Wamp
Weldon (FL)
Weldon (PA)
Weller
Westmoreland
Whitfield
Wicker
Wilson (NM)
Wilson (SC)
Wolf
Young (AK)
Young (FL)
NOT VOTING--27
Andrews
Baird
Bishop (GA)
Blumenauer
Boehner
Bono
Brown, Corrine
Cuellar
Davis, Tom
Gillmor
Gingrey
Graves
Hooley
Issa
Johnson, E. B.
Kennedy (RI)
McDermott
Millender-McDonald
Pelosi
Peterson (MN)
Reyes
Sessions
Simmons
Skelton
Stark
Walsh
Waxman
Announcement by the Acting Chairman
The Acting CHAIRMAN (Mr. Simpson) (during the vote). There are 2
minutes remaining in this vote.
{time} 1434
Mr. BOEHLERT changed his vote from ``no'' to ``aye.''
So the amendment in the nature of a substitute was rejected.
The result of the vote was announced as above recorded.
The Acting CHAIRMAN. There being no further amendments, the question
is on the committee amendment in the nature of a substitute, as
amended.
The committee amendment in the nature of a substitute, as amended,
was agreed to.
Mr. LEVIN. Mr. Chairman, I rise in strong opposition to H.R. 2745.
There is a need for reform at the United Nations. No one disagrees with
that, but the legislation before the House is an extreme and deeply
flawed bill that would actually set back our efforts to strengthen and
improve this important institution.
The problem with the amendment is its complete lack of flexibility.
It requires the United States to withhold 50 percent of our dues if 32
of 39 specific goals are not met by 2007. Furthermore, 14 of those
goals are mandatory, and if a single one is not met, our dues are
withheld. Such a rigid approach weakens the Bush Administration's hand
in negotiating the changes that we all agree are necessary there.
I want to quote from a June 14 letter to Speaker Hastert and Leader
Pelosi from eight former U.S. Ambassadors to the United Nations. These
ambassadors served in Republican and Democratic administrations alike,
range broadly in their political persuasions, and include President
Bush's most recent Ambassador to the U.N., John Danforth, as well as
Madeleine Albright, Richard Holbrooke, Jeane Kirkpatrick, Donald
McHenry, Thomas Pickering, Bill Richardson and Andrew Young.
In their letter, they write that ``withholding U.S. dues to the U.N.
threatens to undermine our leadership and effectiveness at the U.N. and
the reform effort itself--as well as the U.N.'s ability to take on
responsibilities critical to protecting our national security. . . .
Reforming the United Nations is the right goal. Withholding our dues to
the U.N. is the wrong methodology.''
These distinguished former ambassadors go on to assert that,
``Withholding U.S. dues to the United Nations may sound like smart
policy but would be counterproductive at this time. . . . It would
create resentment, build animosity and actually strengthen opponents of
reform.''
For these reasons, I will vote for the substitute offered by Ranking
Member Lantos. The Lantos substitute would give Secretary of State Rice
the tools and flexibility needed to bring about reform at the United
Nations.
Let me conclude by saying that the bill before the House is a perfect
example of how the priorities of the Majority are out of step with the
needs of the country. It is simply amazing that the House is debating
this bill--a bill that the President would almost certainly veto if it
ever reached him--when there are so many more important and unmet needs
that the House has yet to address and could effectively address.
Millions of manufacturing jobs have left the United States over the
last four years, and more jobs are leaving every day. The cost of
gasoline remains near record highs, yet we still have no strategy to
deal with it. Over 40 million Americans have no health insurance, and
the cost of health insurance for all Americans continues to rise. These
are the issues that the American people need us to address.
I urge my colleagues to oppose this flawed and unbalanced bill.
Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Chairman, I rise to oppose the United
Nations Reform Act of 2005 as it is currently constituted. This
legislation sends the signal to the world that our Nation has a disdain
for the United Nations and I for one cannot support that idea.
There are many instances in which the U.N. has been instrumental in
furthering U.S. foreign policy objectives. In the past year alone, the
U.N. helped organize parliamentary elections in Iraq, reconstruction
efforts following the Indian Ocean tsunami, and helped mediate the
withdrawal of Syrian armed forces from Lebanon. A reformed U.N. could
be even more complementary to U.S. interests abroad, but only if the
U.S. does not alienate other Member States and create animosity in the
process. The inflexibility of the Hyde legislation would create
resentment among Member States, and the automatic withholding of dues
would cripple the institution.
Hyde's unilateral approach to U.N. reform promises to thwart the
growing international consensus for reform, which will be addressed by
at least 174 nations at the September Summit in New York. We need a
more flexible approach which does not dictate unrealistic deadlines for
changes or threaten automatic withholding of dues, will achieve U.S.
goals without causing widespread resentment among Member States whose
support we depend on.
The Hyde bill on U.N. reform contains many serious flaws which if
implemented would not be welcome by the international community.
Peacekeeping is one such area where this bill contains deeply flawed
logic. The Hyde bill points to peacekeeping reforms that everyone
agrees are needed. These reforms are in fact endorsed by the U.N.
Department of Peacekeeping Operations and in most cases, these reforms
are already underway to address recent concerns raised about sexual
exploitation and abuse in peacekeeping missions. However, the Hyde bill
says that starting this fall, the U.S. must prevent the expansion of
existing missions or the creation of any new U.N. peacekeeping missions
until all specified reforms are completed and certified by the
Secretary of State. The truth is that some of these requirements simply
cannot be met by the fall, true reform takes time. Reforms will require
careful implementation at the U.N. as well as by the 100-plus troop
contributing countries, and in some cases will require additional U.N.
staff and funding which of course is not provided by this legislation.
And yet, the Hyde bill will likely prevent Security Council resolutions
to enable the creation or expansion of important U.N. missions in
places like Darfur in Sudan, Haiti, Congo and Afghanistan. We as the
United States of America have always prided ourselves on helping those
who cannot help themselves, on aiding those who are being massacred
simply because of who they are, but now this bill seeks for our Nation
to turn a blind eye to these people. We, as the 109th Congress cannot
allow ourselves to be the ones who cut off assistance to these
desperate people.
Not only does the Hyde bill take a wrong approach to peacekeeping,
but it will also create great problems with the budget at the United
Nations. The Hyde bill claims to ``pursue a streamlined, efficient, and
accountable regular assessed budget of the United Nations,'' yet in
reality the approach taken by the bill will wreak havoc on the U.N.
budget process and will result in the automatic withholding of U.S.
financial obligations to the U.N. regular budget. This flawed bill
attempts to shift funding for 18 specific programs from assessed
contributions to voluntary contributions. To achieve these goals, the
bill mandates the withholding of up to $100 million in U.S. dues to the
U.N. regular budget. While this idea may have merit, the U.S. should
work with its allies to advance it through the Budget Committee at the
U.N. instead of starting from the point of withholding dues, which
should be our Nation's last resort. Furthermore, the Hyde
[[Page H4704]]
proposal links 50 percent of U.N. dues to a list of 39 conditions, not
only at the U.N. Secretariat, but also at various U.N. specialized
agencies over which the U.N. has no direct control. All of this will
create a new U.S. debt at the U.N., since many of the conditions are so
rigid and specific that they are not achievable. In the end, all that
any of this will do is create resentment towards the United States in
the international community. As the Washington Post editorialized,
``This is like using a sledgehammer to drive a nail into an antique
table: Even if you're aiming at the right nail, you're going to cause
damage.''
The Hyde bill also calls for certain steps supported by the U.N. and
the U.S., such as the strengthening of the U.N. oversight function, the
creation of a Peacebuilding Commission, and reforms in U.N.
peacekeeping. However, it calls for these reforms to be funded solely
within existing resources. If the U.S. withholds dues as this bill
calls for, even less funding will be available to support these
reforms. This bill also calls for the creation of new positions in
several departments, including the Office of Internal Oversight
Services and the Department of Peacekeeping Operations, without
allowing resources to fund these positions.
Clearly, too many of the provisions of the Hyde U.N. reform bill will
only cause resentment against the United States in the international
community. Achieving reform by consensus in a body with 191 members is
difficult, but this is not in itself a reason to by-pass the consensus
building process. The more Member States that are engaged in achieving
reform, the more legitimate and effective the changes will be. The U.S.
should lead the way by actively promoting a tough reform agenda and
retaining the threat of withholding dues as a last resort. Reform
should not, however, be a crusade led by the U.S. against the
institution and its Member States. Unfortunately, this bill on U.N.
reform will not lead to reform, but only to the weakening of the United
Nations. With great respect for Chairman Hyde and his intent I
regretfully will have to oppose H.R. 2745.
Mr. UDALL of Colorado. Mr. Chairman, I regret that I cannot vote for
this bill.
I am not opposed to the ostensible purpose of the bill--in fact, I
share the view that the United Nations needs to be improved so it can
better carry out its indispensable role.
The U.N. is a critically important body that has taken on many of the
world's problems and solved them--problems such as poverty, disease,
and international disputes. And the U.S. has benefited from U.N.
actions. Just recently, the U.N. helped with elections in Afghanistan
and Iraq and helped negotiate the withdrawal of Syrian forces from
Lebanon.
But it has serious problems, as exemplified by the oil-for-food
scandal and offenses committed by U.N. peacekeeping forces.
So, I support U.N. reform--but I cannot support the approach the bill
takes toward achieving that objective.
The bill would require the Secretary of State to push for reforms at
the U.N. in the areas of budgeting, oversight and accountability,
peacekeeping, and human rights. That is something that needs to be
done. But if the Secretary of State cannot certify that the reforms
have been achieved, starting in 2007, the Secretary would be required
to withhold 50 percent of the U.S. assessed contributions to the U.N.'s
regular budget. The assessed U.S. contributions are estimated at $362
million for 2005, and $439 million for 2006.
I think such a punitive and unilateral approach to reform will not
work. I think its primary result would be to further isolate the United
States while at the same time actually undermining ongoing efforts at
reform and potentially jeopardizing the U.N.'s ability to focus on
global threats and work toward greater global stability.
The substitute proposed by Representatives Lantos and Shays would
have been a better approach, and I regret that it was not adopted.
As it stands, the bill is problematic on a number of fronts. First,
it would mandate withholding of dues from programs that do not get
moved from the U.N.'s assessed budget to a system of voluntary
contribution, a goal unlikely to be achieved.
Also, it would require the United States to veto Security Council
resolutions establishing any new U.N. peacekeeping missions--including
involvement in a crisis like the one taking place in Darfur--until the
peacekeeping reforms called for by the bill have been completed. This
is like forbidding firemen to respond to a blaze because we are unhappy
about the way the department is organized and financed. I cannot
support that.
The bill would cut U.S. contributions to U.N. conferences and public
information programs by 20 percent unless the overall budgets for these
programs are cut by 20 percent, and if the 20 percent target is not met
by 2008, the bill would mandate the withholding of 50 percent of U.S.
contributions. It also would require that 50 percent of annual dues be
withheld even if just one of 14 mandatory benchmarks were not met.
These go beyond stern--they are petulant. Their predictable result is
not reform, but failure.
In short, the bill as it stands would simultaneously demand reform
and make it impossible to achieve.
The substitute offered by Representatives Lantos and Shays would have
used carrots as well as sticks and would have given much greater
flexibility to the Secretary of State.
The substitute included benchmarks very much like those in the base
bill, but it gave flexibility to the Secretary of State to mandate the
50 percent cuts to our U.N. dues. Similarly, the substitute did not
link the change from ``assessed'' to ``voluntary'' contributions to
withholding a portion of our dues, and it would have allowed the
Secretary of State to waive the peacekeeping reform requirements if it
is determined that a new mission is in the U.S. national interest.
The substitute also included incentives by supporting an effort to
pay our dues on time, an increased U.N. budget for the large number of
new offices that will be needed to implement the reforms, a well
structured buyout of unneeded U.N. personnel, and a contribution to the
U.N. Democracy Fund.
The difference between the bill now before us and the Lantos-Shays
substitute is that while the substitute was realistic in the way it set
out a path toward reform, the majority's bill if fully implemented
would effectively destroy the chances of achieving an effective and
improved U.N.
Instead of adopting such an approach, the United States should engage
the U.N. member countries in the process of reform and provide the U.N.
with the resources necessary to accomplish reforms, rather than
alienate the global community by threatening to withhold dues.
The Bush Administration itself is opposed to this legislation as it
stands. I do not often agree with them, but I do in this instance and I
therefore must vote against the bill.
Mr. SULLIVAN. Mr. Chairman, I rise in strong support of H.R. 2745,
the Henry J. Hyde United Nations Reform Act of 2005.
H.R. 2745 is a common sense piece of legislation that would mandate
timely change to a United Nations suffering from scandal, mismanagement
and abuse. Specifically, it would withhold 50 percent of regular
assessed budget contributions unless the U.N. enacts 39 specific
budgetary, accountability, and human rights-related reforms necessary
to providing needed transparency to the world body.
The need for this legislation could not be more evident. Over the
past few years we have witnessed a United Nations mired in scandal. The
U.N. Oil-for-Food program was a glaring failure that served only to
benefit a tyrant and keep the Iraqi people in a state of despondency
and despair. As a result, the Oil-for-Food program has become the
biggest scandal in the history of the U.N. and one of the greatest
financial scandals of modern times.
Scandals involving U.N. peacekeeping operations have also escalated.
In Congo and Bosnia, U.N. peacekeepers were accused of widespread
sexual exploitation and rape of refugees, betraying the trust of the
very people they were there to protect. In Sierra Leone, peacekeepers
were accused of systematically raping women. These actions are
reprehensible in any society and unbecoming to an organization whose
founding charter is dedicated to the promotion and respect for human
rights and maintaining international peace and security.
In recent years, the U.N. has also abdicated their role as a
protector of human rights. This legislation rightfully prevents some of
the world's premier human rights abusers such as Cuba, Sudan and Libya
from having a seat on the U.N. Commission of Human Rights.
Without H.R. 2745, we will be sending American taxpayer dollars to
support an international organization that currently embraces
mediocrity, corruption and waste as the status quo. The United Nations
Reform Act will go a long way to employ proper checks and balances to
an organization that I believe has lost control of both its purpose and
mission, and no longer adequately represents the United States'
interests, nor the interests of democracies around the world.
It is time for these common sense reforms. The American people who
pay 22 percent of the U.N. dues demand that their tax dollars go to an
organization that is transparent, and accountable.
Mr. Chairman, I urge passage of this legislation.
Mr. BOEHNER. Mr. Chairman, I rise today to thank Mr. Hyde for his
distinguished service in the House of Representatives and to support
his work to bring accountability and transparency to the United
Nations.
Throughout his career, Mr. Hyde has been a promoter and a defender of
conservative issues, including the rights of the unborn and the need
for a strong national defense.
While many of my colleagues are committed and dedicated to these
issues, my friend from
[[Page H4705]]
Illinois has truly led by example in how he has advocated for
conservative policies and championed family values.
He is well known for his consistency and tenacity in his beliefs, yet
he is well-respected within the House by Members of both sides of the
aisle. He has strongly disagreed with Members about issues that evoke
emotional responses, yet he has maintained his dignity and gentlemanly
conduct.
Mr. Chairman. I would like to thank Mr. Hyde for his work to increase
the credibility of the United Nations and to wish him well in his
retirement. Unfortunately, I was committed to attend an event in my
district, and I was unable to vote for the final passage of the Henry
J. Hyde United Nations Reform Act of 2005. I would like the official
record to reflect I support this important legislation.
Henry, thank you for your service and best wishes to you and your
family.
The Acting CHAIRMAN. Under the rule, the Committee rises.
Accordingly, the Committee rose; and the Speaker pro tempore (Mr.
Putnam) having assumed the chair, Mr. Simpson, Acting Chairman of the
Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union, reported that
that Committee, having had under consideration the bill (H.R. 2745) to
reform the United Nations, and for other purposes, pursuant to House
Resolution 319, he reported the bill back to the House with an
amendment adopted by the Committee of the Whole.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under the rule, the previous question is
ordered.
Is a separate vote demanded on any amendment to the committee
amendment in the nature of a substitute? If not, the question is on the
amendment.
The amendment was agreed to.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the engrossment and third
reading of the bill.
The bill was ordered to be engrossed and read a third time, and was
read the third time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the passage of the bill.
The question was taken; and the Speaker pro tempore announced that
the ayes appeared to have it.
Recorded Vote
Mr. NUSSLE. Mr. Speaker, I demand a recorded vote.
A recorded vote was ordered.
The vote was taken by electronic device, and there were--ayes 221,
noes 184, not voting 28, as follows:
[Roll No. 282]
AYES--221
Aderholt
Akin
Alexander
Bachus
Baker
Barrett (SC)
Barrow
Bartlett (MD)
Barton (TX)
Bass
Beauprez
Berkley
Biggert
Bilirakis
Bishop (UT)
Blackburn
Blunt
Bonilla
Bonner
Boozman
Boustany
Bradley (NH)
Brady (TX)
Brown (SC)
Brown-Waite, Ginny
Burgess
Burton (IN)
Buyer
Calvert
Camp
Cannon
Cantor
Capito
Carter
Chabot
Chocola
Coble
Cole (OK)
Conaway
Costello
Cox
Crenshaw
Cubin
Culberson
Cunningham
Davis (KY)
Davis, Jo Ann
Deal (GA)
DeLay
Dent
Diaz-Balart, L.
Diaz-Balart, M.
Doolittle
Drake
Dreier
Duncan
Ehlers
Emerson
English (PA)
Everett
Feeney
Ferguson
Fitzpatrick (PA)
Flake
Foley
Forbes
Fortenberry
Fossella
Foxx
Franks (AZ)
Frelinghuysen
Gallegly
Garrett (NJ)
Gerlach
Gibbons
Gilchrest
Gohmert
Goodlatte
Granger
Green (WI)
Green, Gene
Gutknecht
Hall
Harris
Hart
Hastings (WA)
Hayes
Hayworth
Hefley
Hensarling
Herger
Hobson
Hoekstra
Hostettler
Hulshof
Hunter
Hyde
Inglis (SC)
Istook
Jenkins
Jindal
Johnson (CT)
Johnson (IL)
Johnson, Sam
Jones (NC)
Keller
Kelly
Kennedy (MN)
King (IA)
King (NY)
Kingston
Kirk
Kline
Knollenberg
Kolbe
Kuhl (NY)
LaHood
Latham
LaTourette
Lewis (CA)
Lewis (KY)
Linder
LoBiondo
Lucas
Lungren, Daniel E.
Mack
Manzullo
Marchant
Marshall
McCaul (TX)
McCotter
McCrery
McHenry
McHugh
McIntyre
McKeon
McMorris
Mica
Miller (FL)
Miller (MI)
Miller, Gary
Mollohan
Moran (KS)
Murphy
Musgrave
Myrick
Neugebauer
Ney
Northup
Norwood
Nunes
Nussle
Osborne
Otter
Oxley
Pearce
Pence
Peterson (PA)
Petri
Pickering
Pitts
Platts
Poe
Pombo
Porter
Price (GA)
Pryce (OH)
Putnam
Radanovich
Ramstad
Regula
Rehberg
Renzi
Reynolds
Rogers (AL)
Rogers (KY)
Rogers (MI)
Rohrabacher
Ros-Lehtinen
Royce
Ryan (WI)
Ryun (KS)
Saxton
Schwarz (MI)
Sensenbrenner
Shadegg
Shaw
Sherwood
Shimkus
Shuster
Simpson
Smith (NJ)
Smith (TX)
Sodrel
Souder
Stearns
Sullivan
Sweeney
Tancredo
Taylor (MS)
Taylor (NC)
Terry
Thomas
Thornberry
Tiahrt
Tiberi
Turner
Upton
Walden (OR)
Wamp
Weldon (FL)
Weldon (PA)
Weller
Westmoreland
Whitfield
Wicker
Wilson (NM)
Wilson (SC)
Wolf
Young (AK)
Young (FL)
NOES--184
Abercrombie
Ackerman
Allen
Baca
Baldwin
Bean
Becerra
Berman
Berry
Bishop (NY)
Boehlert
Boren
Boswell
Boucher
Boyd
Brady (PA)
Brown (OH)
Butterfield
Capps
Capuano
Cardin
Cardoza
Carnahan
Carson
Case
Castle
Chandler
Clay
Cleaver
Clyburn
Conyers
Cooper
Costa
Cramer
Crowley
Cummings
Davis (AL)
Davis (CA)
Davis (FL)
Davis (IL)
Davis (TN)
DeFazio
DeGette
Delahunt
DeLauro
Dicks
Dingell
Doggett
Doyle
Edwards
Emanuel
Engel
Eshoo
Etheridge
Evans
Farr
Fattah
Filner
Ford
Frank (MA)
Gonzalez
Goode
Gordon
Green, Al
Grijalva
Gutierrez
Harman
Hastings (FL)
Herseth
Higgins
Hinchey
Hinojosa
Holden
Holt
Honda
Hoyer
Inslee
Israel
Jackson (IL)
Jackson-Lee (TX)
Jefferson
Jones (OH)
Kanjorski
Kaptur
Kildee
Kilpatrick (MI)
Kind
Kucinich
Langevin
Lantos
Larsen (WA)
Larson (CT)
Leach
Lee
Levin
Lewis (GA)
Lipinski
Lofgren, Zoe
Lowey
Lynch
Maloney
Markey
Matheson
Matsui
McCarthy
McCollum (MN)
McGovern
McKinney
McNulty
Meehan
Meek (FL)
Meeks (NY)
Melancon
Menendez
Michaud
Miller (NC)
Miller, George
Moore (KS)
Moore (WI)
Moran (VA)
Murtha
Nadler
Napolitano
Neal (MA)
Oberstar
Obey
Olver
Ortiz
Owens
Pallone
Pascrell
Pastor
Paul
Payne
Peterson (MN)
Pomeroy
Price (NC)
Rahall
Rangel
Reichert
Ross
Rothman
Roybal-Allard
Ruppersberger
Rush
Ryan (OH)
Sabo
Salazar
Sanchez, Linda T.
Sanchez, Loretta
Sanders
Schakowsky
Schiff
Schwartz (PA)
Scott (GA)
Scott (VA)
Serrano
Shays
Sherman
Smith (WA)
Snyder
Solis
Spratt
Strickland
Stupak
Tauscher
Thompson (CA)
Thompson (MS)
Tierney
Towns
Udall (CO)
Udall (NM)
Van Hollen
Velazquez
Visclosky
Wasserman Schultz
Waters
Watson
Watt
Weiner
Wexler
Woolsey
Wu
Wynn
NOT VOTING--28
Andrews
Baird
Bishop (GA)
Blumenauer
Boehner
Bono
Brown, Corrine
Cuellar
Davis, Tom
Gillmor
Gingrey
Graves
Hooley
Issa
Johnson, E. B.
Kennedy (RI)
McDermott
Millender-McDonald
Pelosi
Reyes
Sessions
Simmons
Skelton
Slaughter
Stark
Tanner
Walsh
Waxman
Announcement by the Speaker Pro Tempore
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Putnam) (during the vote). Members are
advised 2 minutes remain in this vote.
{time} 1451
So the bill was passed.
The result of the vote was announced as above recorded.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
____________________