[Senate Report 110-130]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]



From the Senate Reports Online via GPO Access
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                                                       Calendar No. 271
110th Congress                                                   Report
                                 SENATE
 1st Session                                                    110-130

======================================================================



 
   ENSURING PAYMENT OF UNITED STATES ASSESSMENTS FOR UNITED NATIONS 
     PEACEKEEPING OPERATIONS FOR THE 2005 THROUGH 2008 TIME PERIOD

                                _______
                                

                 July 16, 2007.--Ordered to be printed

                                _______
                                

          Mr. Biden, from the Committee on Foreign Relations,
                        submitted the following

                                 REPORT

                         [To accompany S. 392]

    The Committee on Foreign Relations, having had under 
consideration S. 392, a bill to ensure payment of United States 
assessments for United Nations peacekeeping operations for the 
2005 through 2008 time period, reports favorably thereon and 
recommends that the bill do pass.

                                CONTENTS

                                                                   Page

  I. Purpose..........................................................1
 II. Legislative History and Committee Action.........................1
III. Discussion.......................................................2
 IV. Cost Estimate....................................................2
  V. Evaluation of Regulatory Impact..................................3
 VI. Changes in Existing Law..........................................3

                               I. Purpose

    This legislation is designed to allow the United States to 
fully pay its dues to U.N. peacekeeping operations, pay arrears 
that have accumulated since January 2006, and ensure that no 
additional arrears accrue in 2007 and 2008.

              II. Legislative History and Committee Action

    S. 392 was introduced by Senators Biden and Lugar on 
January 25, 2007. It is cosponsored by Senators Durbin, Hagel, 
and Voinovich. On June 27, 2007, the committee ordered the bill 
reported favorably by voice vote.

                            III. Discussion

    As of January 1, 2006, the United States payments to U.N. 
peacekeeping operations may not be more than 25 percent of the 
United Nations' peacekeeping budget, as mandated by a 1994 law 
which ``capped'' U.S. payments at this level. However, the 
United Nations assesses the United States at a rate of 
approximately 27 percent.
    In recent years, Congress has amended the 1994 law on a 
temporary basis by raising the 25 percent limitation to 
approximately 27 percent, to conform to a rate negotiated by 
U.S. Ambassador Holbrooke in 2000. However, the most recent 
temporary change in law expired on December 31, 2005 and the 25 
percent cap was reinstated. Subsequently, as of June 2007, the 
United States was $117 million in arrears due to the cap, and 
the number grows every month as new bills are submitted to the 
State Department by the United Nations.
    S. 392 would enable the United States to pay U.N. 
assessments at the rate assessed by the United Nations, for 
calendar years 2005-2008. This would allow the United States to 
pay future peacekeeping assessments in full, and to pay the 
arrears that have accumulated since January 1, 2006.
    The United Nations currently supports fifteen peacekeeping 
missions worldwide in conflict areas such as Haiti, Lebanon, 
the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Cote d'Ivoire and Sudan. 
The committee believes that, at a time when the United States 
is seeking U.N. support for a robust mission in Darfur, and as 
the United States regularly uses its vote in the U.N. Security 
Council to support the continuation of these peacekeeping 
missions, the U.S. peacekeeping assessment should be paid in 
full. Through U.N. peacekeeping, the United States contributes 
to international peace and stability while sharing the human, 
political and financial costs with other nations. Accordingly, 
the committee believes that the 25 percent limitation on our 
contribution is an anachronism for which a resolution is timely 
and appropriate.

                           IV. Cost Estimate

    In accordance with rule XXVI, paragraph 11(a) of the 
Standing Rules of the Senate, the committee provides this 
estimate of the costs of this legislation prepared by the 
Congressional Budget Office.


                            United States Congress,
                               Congressional Budget Office,
                                                    Washington, DC.
                                                      July 3, 2007.

Hon. Joseph R. Biden, Jr., Chairman,
Committee on Foreign Relations,
U.S. Senate, Washington, DC.

    Dear Mr. Chairman:

    The Congressional Budget Office has prepared the enclosed 
cost estimate for S. 392, a bill to ensure payment of United 
States assessments for United Nations peacekeeping operations 
for the 2005 through 2008 time period.
    If you wish further details on this estimate, we will be 
pleased to provide them. The CBO staff contact is Sunita 
D'Monte, who can be reached at 226-2840.
          Sincerely,
                                            Peter R. Orszag


Enclosure:


    cc: Hon. Richard G. Lugar, Ranking Minority Member

                                ------                                


               Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate

                                                      July 3, 2007.

                                 S. 392


   A bill to ensure payment of United States assessments for United 
 Nations peacekeeping operations for the 2005 through 2008 time period


  AS ORDERED REPORTED BY THE SENATE COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN RELATIONS ON 
                             JUNE 27, 2007

    Under current law, the Department of State is prohibited 
from paying more than 25 percent of the cost of United Nations 
(U.N.) peacekeeping operations. Since the U.N. assesses the 
United States at a rate of 27.1 percent of such costs, the 
United States is currently in arrears on those payments. S. 392 
would authorize the department to pay at the rate of 27.1 
percent for assessments for 2006, 2007, and 2008.
    Based on information from the State Department, CBO 
estimates that by raising the cap, the bill would allow the 
department to pay the U.N. an additional $157 million--$65 
million for 2006 arrears, $48 million for the 2007 arrears, and 
$44 million for 2008 (the department's request for 2008, based 
on the statutory cap of 25 percent, has not yet been 
appropriated.) CBO estimates that the department would pay the 
U.N. $126 million in 2008 and $31 million in 2009 under the 
bill, assuming appropriation of the necessary amounts and that 
outlays will follow historical spending patterns. Enacting the 
bill would not affect direct spending or receipts.
    S. 392 contains no intergovernmental or private-sector 
mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act and 
would not affect the budgets of state, local, or tribal 
governments.
    The CBO staff contact for this estimate is Sunita D'Monte, 
who can be reached at 226-2840. This estimate was approved by 
Peter H. Fontaine, Deputy Assistant Director for Budget 
Analysis.

                   V. Evaluation of Regulatory Impact

    Pursuant to Rule XXVI, paragraph 11(b) of the Standing 
Rules of the Senate, the committee has determined that there is 
no regulatory impact as a result of this legislation.

                      VI. Changes in Existing Law

    In compliance with Rule XXVI, paragraph 12 of the Standing 
Rules of the Senate, changes in existing law made by the bill, 
as reported, are shown as follows (existing law proposed to be 
omitted is enclosed in black brackets, new matter is printed in 
italic, existing law in which no change is proposed is shown in 
roman).

                  Foreign Relations Authorization Act,
Fiscal Years 1994 and 1995

           *       *       *       *       *       *       *



SEC. 404. ASSESSED CONTRIBUTIONS FOR UNITED NATIONS PEACEKEEPING 
                    OPERATIONS.

    (a) Reassessment of Contribution Percentages.-- * * *

    (b) Limitation on United States Contributions.--

          (1) Fiscal years 1994 and 1995.-- * * *

          (2) Subsequent fiscal years.--(A) In general.-- * * *

          (B) Reduction in united states share of assessed 
        contributions.--Notwithstanding the percentage 
        limitation contained in subparagraph (A), the United 
        States share of assessed contributions for each United 
        Nations peacekeeping operation during the following 
        periods is authorized to be as follows:

                  (i) For assessments made during calendar year 
                2001, 28.15 percent.

                  (ii) For assessments made during calendar 
                year 2002, 27.90 percent.

                  (iii) For assessments made during calendar 
                year 2003, 27.40 percent.

                  (iv) For assessments made during calendar 
                year 2004, 27.40 percent.

                  (v) For assessments made during calendar 
                years 2005, 2006, 2007, and 2008, 27.1 percent.

           *       *       *       *       *       *       *


                                 
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