[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 82 (Monday, June 20, 2005)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1292]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[[Page E1292]]
            HENRY J. HYDE UNITED NATIONS REFORM ACT OF 2005

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                          HON. JOSEPH CROWLEY

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                         Friday, June 17, 2005

       The House in Committee of the Whole House on the State of 
     the Union had under consideration the bill (H.R. 2745) to 
     reform the United Nations, and for other purposes:
  Mr. CROWLEY. Mr. Chairman, I rise today to speak in support of the 
Lantos Shays substitute and in opposition to the United Nations Reform 
Bill sponsored by Chairman Hyde.
  While I am concerned about the withholding of funding from the United 
Nations, I believe that reforms are needed within this world body while 
enhancing not diminishing the U.S.'s moral authority in this august 
body.
  While I agree with many of my colleagues who have spoken on this bill 
that reform is needed, I am troubled by the way Chairman Hyde has 
drafted this bill.
  I have great respect for the Chairman but I think the bill could have 
been drafted in a less draconian manner.
  This bill makes it almost impossible for the United Nations to 
complete all the reforms within the time frame that has been set.
  I do not believe that the United States should be withholding 
contributions if reforms are not made at the pace this bill sets them 
at.
  Withholding our contributions from the United Nations until certain 
programs are shifted to voluntary is something that all of the member 
states would have to approve and I do not believe that this bill gives 
a reasonable enough time frame.
  The Lantos Shays substitute will arm the United States to promote 
serious reforms and not just forcing to cut off funds to the United 
Nations that would be counterproductive to our national interests.
  The substitute keeps the reform of the Chairman Hyde's bill as a 
goal, but does not link it to a mandatory $100 million deduction in 
U.S. contributions.
  Another important difference between the Chairman's bill and the 
substitute is the inflexibility on the issue of peacekeeping.
  The substitute retains the much needed reforms on peace keeping 
instead of just cutting aid to these missions. The substitute will 
provide the Secretary of State with a waiver in the event that a new 
mission is essential to America's national interest.
  We all know that the United States has problems and we see one of the 
most evident ones in its treatment of the state of Israel.
  The General Assembly has turned itself into a forum to bash Israel 
and until recently it had a policy equating Zionism as racism.
  The U.N. Commission on Human Rights also routinely castigates Israel 
and the General Assembly has gone out of its way to pass a one-sided 
resolution condemning Israel for protecting its citizens from 
terrorism.
  The General Assembly created two committees which focus negatively on 
Israeli actions and protectively on the Palestinians: the Special 
Committee to Investigate Israeli Practices Affecting the Human Rights 
of the Palestinian People and other Arabs of the Occupied Territories, 
and the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the 
Palestinian People.
  The United Nation needs to be reformed so it is a body of creating 
diplomacy and understanding not a forum for hate.
  I do believe the United Nations needs to be reformed to remain a 
strong supporter not just because of its close proximity to my 
Congressional district or the large amounts of my constituents who work 
at the United Nations but because I strongly believe in the founding 
principals of the United Nations.
  This multilateral organization has helped the world come together 
since its creation and brought us out of the horrors of World War II.
  If we truly want to work toward reform we must work with our friends 
and partners to make this happen--not just threaten the loss of 
contributions.
  This will solve none of the reforms that are needed so badly to get 
the United Nations back on the right tract.
  I do not support this bill in its current form and urge all of my 
colleagues to support the Lantos Shays substitute so we can start to 
have a real dialogue on the much needed reform of the United Nations.

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