[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 85 (Thursday, June 23, 2005)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1320-E1321]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          PERSONAL EXPLANATION

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. EARL BLUMENAUER

                               of oregon

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, June 22, 2005

  Mr. BLUMENAUER. Mr. Speaker, on Thursday, June 16 and Friday, June 
17, 2004, I was not present for votes because I was testifying before a 
Base Closure and Realignment Commission hearing in Portland. Had I been 
present for the following votes, I would have voted as follows:
  Rollcall Vote 270: I would have voted ``aye'' on the King (NY) 
Amendment to deny immunity to any U.N. Official who is under 
investigation or charged with a criminal offense because a person 
should not avoid investigation for a serious criminal offense because 
they are a United Nations employee.
  Rollcall Vote 271: I would have voted ``aye'' on the Poe Amendment 
requiring OMB to submit a report on U.S. contributions to the U.N. 
because it would improve the ability of Congress to carry out its 
oversight responsibility.
  Rollcall Vote 272: I would have voted ``aye'' on the Cantor Amendment 
to deny Iran nuclear materials and assistance because I am greatly 
concerned about Iran's efforts to develop nuclear weapons and support 
international efforts to prevent that.
  Rollcall Vote 273: I would have voted ``no'' on tabling the Nadler 
Resolution because I believe Congress needs to provide stronger 
oversight in a bipartisan fashion and take a serious look at the 
PATRIOT Act.
  Rollcall Vote 274: I would have voted ``aye'' on the Royce Amendment 
prohibiting the elimination of single-country human rights resolutions 
because, while I oppose mandatory withholding of dues, the U.N. needs 
to be a credible voice for human rights and I believe that this 
requirement is achievable.
  Rollcall Vote 275: I would have voted ``no'' on the Fortenberry 
Amendment to ensure the formal adoption and implementation of 
mechanisms to: (1) Suspend the membership of a Member State if it is 
engaged or complicit in acts of genocide, war crimes, or crimes against 
humanity; (2) impose an arms and trade embargo, travel restrictions and 
asset freeze upon groups or individuals responsible for such acts; (3) 
deploy a U.N. peacekeeping operation from an international or regional 
organization; (4) deploy monitors from the U.N. High Commissioner for 
Refugees to the area where such acts are occurring; and (5) authorize 
the establishment of an international commission of inquiry into such 
acts as part of the certification and withholding process because,

[[Page E1321]]

while I support the goals of the amendment, implementing these reforms 
would require a consensus of all U.N. member states, thus giving North 
Korea or Iran the ability to determine whether the U.S. withholds dues 
and cripples the U.N.

  Rollcall Vote 276: I would have voted ``no'' on the Flake Amendment 
requiring the U.N. to release documents related to the Oil-for-Food 
Program and waive immunity for U.N. officials in connection with the 
program, as part of the certification and withholding process since it 
is not a compelling enough reason to add to the certification and 
withholding process, which I oppose.
  Rollcall Vote 277: I would have voted ``aye'' on the Chabot/Lantos 
Amendment opposing anti-Semitism at the U.N. because I share this 
concern and, while I oppose mandatory withholding of dues, this 
amendment places requirements on the President, not the United Nations.
  Rollcall Vote 278: I would have voted ``no'' on the Pence Amendment 
to try and deny the veto to any U.N. Security Council permanent member 
who pays less than \1/5\ the level of U.S. dues because it would weaken 
the veto which, while often abused, is the best guarantor that the U.N. 
will act in the United States' interests.
  Rollcall Vote 279: I would have voted ``no'' on the Gohmert Amendment 
to prohibit assistance to any country who votes with the U.S. at the 
U.N. less than 50% of the time because many of our closest allies and 
countries most in need of assistance often oppose the United States' 
position at the U.N., at times with serious justification.
  Rollcall Vote 280: I would have voted ``no'' on the Stearns Amendment 
to increase withholding from 50 percent to 75 percent because I believe 
that, if any withholding of dues is counterproductive to U.N. reform, 
more withholding of dues is more counterproductive.
  Rollcall Vote 281: I would have voted ``aye'' on the bipartisan 
Lantos-Shays Amendment in the nature of a substitute which authorizes, 
but does not mandate, withholding of dues because it provides 
flexibility to the Secretary of State in promoting an agenda of U.N. 
reform.
  Rollcall Vote 282: I would have voted ``no'' on final passage of H.R. 
2745 because I oppose mandatory withholding of U.N. dues. I believe we 
should have come up with a bipartisan bill that reflects the 
conclusions of the Gingrich-Mitchell Task Force, that supports efforts 
underway at the United Nations to reform, and pushes those reforms to 
be real and prompt, instead of taking this highly partisan bill, which 
the Bush Administration and U.N. experts from all political beliefs say 
will alienate our pro-reform allies and make reform less likely, not 
more.

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