[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 151 (2005), Part 17]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages 23664-23665]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




        COMMEMORATING THE UNITED NATIONS AT ITS 60TH ANNIVERSARY

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. DONALD M. PAYNE

                             of new jersey

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, October 25, 2005

  Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the United Nations 
at its 60th anniversary and honor the organization for its many 
contributions to humanity over the last 60 years.
  The United Nations came into being on October 24, 1945, when 50 
countries pledged to work to promote international peace, security and 
human rights after suffering through two World Wars and the Holocaust. 
Sixty years later, we have, indeed, avoided another global war and seen 
the U.N. protect the lives of millions by creating the circumstances 
for peace in some 170 disputes around the world.
  The 21st century is profoundly different than the world in which the 
United Nations was created. Threats of terrorism, natural disaster, and 
poverty heighten the role that the United Nations plays in securing 
peace and stability worldwide. The United Nations promotes democracy 
where it has not existed, helping to build democratic institutions and 
hold elections in places like Afghanistan and Iraq. The United Nations 
operates 17 peacekeeping missions in regions of strategic importance to 
the United States, such as Sudan, the Middle East, the India-Pakistani 
border, and Haiti.

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  Then there are the important works of the United Nations affiliated 
organizations. The International Atomic Energy Agency is leading a 
global effort to secure nuclear materials and guarantee that they are 
used for legal and peaceful reasons. The World Food Program provides 
life-saving food assistance to millions of famine stricken people every 
year, while the Food and Agriculture Organization helps improve the 
long-term sustainability of providing good nutrition in developing 
countries. Efforts of the World Health Organization and UNICEF have 
drastically improved vaccination rates for preventable diseases in 
children. International conventions and programs undertaken by United 
Nations agencies have helped to strengthen the rights of women, 
refugees, and victims of human rights abuses, and 10 United Nations 
agencies are helping to treat and prevent the AIDS epidemic in 130 
countries.
  I congratulate the United Nations on the anniversary of its 60th 
year, and encourage the United States and Congress to further their 
support for a strong and effective United Nations.

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