House Panel Approves Threat to Withhold Dues to United Nations

[cyberpj]

House Panel Approves Threat to Withhold Dues to United Nations

The House International Relations Committee today approved a bill that would withhold U.S. dues from the United Nations if the organization does not make a series of changes in how it does business.

Members narrowly rejected, 24-25, an alternative by Tom Lantos, D-Calif., that would authorize but not mandate the withholding of U.S. funds.

The vote comes on the heels of an oil-for-food scandal that has damaged the United Nations’ reputation and brought intensified scrutiny from congressional investigators.

The bill suggests a wide range of “reform” ideas, including an independent oversight board, new codes of conduct for U.N. peacekeeping operations and stricter rules that would keep human rights violaters off the agency’s Human Rights Commission.

Since Congress cannot force changes at the United Nations, International Relations Chairman Henry J. Hyde, R-Ill., wrote a bill that would mandate withholding of up to 50 percent of U.S. assessed dues if the United Nations does not reach 39 goals laid out in the bill.

No link,
it's from a daily email I get from Congressional Quarterly
http://www.cq.com/corp/login.do?jumpto=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.cq.com%2Fhome.do

[cornermouse]

1. Our country is run by deadbeats.

That's been obvious for quite some time.

[Avalux]

2. Now all they need is Bolton's fist

to accompany this bill - come down hard on the UN and force them to do as we wish. If it had played out as planned Bolton would already be in place. :grr:

[darkism]

3. I hope the UN throws us out.

The U.S. is an embarassment to the United Nations. Under current leadership, we're not fit to lick their boots.

The bill suggests a wide range of “reform” ideas, including an independent oversight board, new codes of conduct for U.N. peacekeeping operations and stricter rules that would keep human rights violaters off the agency’s Human Rights Commission.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but weren't WE thrown off the Human Rights Commission?

[HereSince1628]

4. Since the UN started, what percent of Republican admins have witheld

dues?

All but Eisenhower?

[cyberpj]

5. Here's a writeup on Bloomberg.com

The committee split roughly along party lines on the bill, with 25 Republicans voting for the measure and 20 Democrats, along with two Republicans, voting against.


http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=10000103&sid=aTBZd_c_PQ9E&refer=us

[cyberpj]

6. addresses the deplorable state of the current Commission on Human Rights

Hyde's bill would establish an independent board to oversee the existing Office of Internal Oversight Services and both bodies would have independent budgets. This new body would also oversee the UN's audit board, could investigate mismanagement and wrongdoing, take steps to protect whistleblowers and end single- bid contracts.

The bill would bar countries from human rights panels if they failed to uphold the Universal Declaration of Human Rights or had been sanctioned by the Security Council.

``This provision addresses the deplorable state of the current Commission on Human Rights and prevents countries such as Cuba and Sudan to act as arbiters of human rights,'' Hyde's office said.

Annan already has proposed to overhaul the rights commission.

The bill mandates that peacekeepers who engage in misconduct be held accountable, and that independent investigators and auditors monitor peacekeeping operations.