Bill Would Tie U.S. Dues to U.N. Reform

[Judi Lynn]

Bill Would Tie U.S. Dues to U.N. Reform

By NICK WADHAMS
The Associated Press
Friday, May 20, 2005; 6:13 AM

UNITED NATIONS -- A U.S. congressional committee has drafted a bill that threatens to withhold tens of millions of dollars in dues from the United Nations unless the world body conducts wide-ranging reforms, possibly setting the stage for a funding battle like the one that plunged the U.N. into financial crisis a decade ago.

The "United Nations Reform Act of 2005" targets a panoply of issues that have troubled critics of the United Nations, particularly Republicans, for years. Among other things, it would seek to cut funding for programs seen as useless and bar human rights violators from serving on U.N. human rights bodies.

The 80-page bill, from Illinois Republican Henry Hyde's House International Relations Committee, is still in an early form and has only recently been distributed to Democrats, who are likely to oppose several elements. It was sent to a few U.N. officials Thursday night, when a copy was obtained by The Associated Press.

One of the bill's most controversial proposals will be linking dues to the changes it spells out. The document stipulates that if the reforms are not carried out, Congress will withhold 50 percent of U.S. dues to the U.N. general budget, taking the money from programs it deems inefficient and wasteful.
and UNICEF, which are funded separately.
(snip/...)

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/05/20/AR2005052000154.html



Youthfully indiscreet, Henry Hyde

[Name removed]

1. Deleted message

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[LynnTheDem]

2. NT

[TheGunslinger]

18. I think that's the sound of a nail being struck upon its head.

[patricia92243]

3. Didn't Ted Turner pay our dues to the UN onetime year ago? Somebody rich

did, but I can't remember who it was.

The point is, we have never paid our dues like we should.

[Demeter]

4. The UN Should Kick US Out

And move to Belgium. Then they can successfully arrest and prosecute the BushCo Regime one by one, as its members visit other countries to make their regular payoffs.

[Deja Q]

11. ding ding ding.

Onfortunately, dong dong dong. I doubt they'd do it. They're irrelevant, Conartist Rice says so.

[cprise]

5. Ah, here it is.

The other shoe drops. The whole Bolton thing is part of a bid to dictate the terms of UN reform.

[madrchsod]

6. much to do about nothing

the rethugs have been trying to do this for years...the problem is that the usa is no longer the big kid, china is. china could take the usa place in funding the un with just part of the walmart dollars they have.

[DeepModem Mom]

7. kick

[zanne]

8. We haven't paid our dues for years...

I think they've played out that hand.

[Zhade]

13. Really?

I never heard that before - NOT that I'm surprised.

This won't work. We're quickly becoming less and less relevant every day.

I can't get to Canada fast enough...

[Zorra]

9. The UN should just move it's HQ out of the US and tell them to stuff

their dues up their a$$es instead of hanging around and getting beaten up like an abused spouse.

[Protagoras]

12. yup yup yup

We think we own the United Nations...and that has so many implications that I can't believe the rest of the world lets it stand.

They should move it to Switzerland and we should have to play nice just like everyone else.

[Rose Siding]

10. "UN warns Congress withholding dues hurts reform"

UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - Secretary-General Kofi Annan believes congressional proposals to withhold U.S. dues to the United Nations unless certain reforms are enacted would be counter-productive and hinder his ability to bring about changes, a U.N. spokesman said on Friday.
...
U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric warned that withholding dues would hinder Annan from carrying out his own reforms.

Annan is seeking the right to close down programs that have outlived their usefulness among other changes, many of which the 191-member General Assembly needs to approve.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/05/20/AR2005052001399.html

Will Congress EVER do anything to redeem our national image?

[hector459]

14. It should be UN reform tied to US dues payment. We haven't paid up

Or did I miss our payment?

[Up2Late]

15. Republicans threaten to starve UN of funds (The Guardian)

(Man, do these guys Suck!)

Republicans threaten to starve UN of funds

Ewen MacAskill, diplomatic editor
Saturday May 21, 2005
The Guardian

The US Congress is on a collision course with the United Nations by threatening to cut its annual budget by tens of millions of pounds, which would disrupt its work on the ground.

Henry Hyde, the Republican chairman of the house international relations committee, is circulating an 80-page draft bill suggesting cuts to UN programmes congressmen regard as inefficient or worthless.

Republican senators have waged a long campaign against the UN, much of whose work they oppose on ideological grounds. Their case has been aided by recent scandals, ranging from sex abuse by UN peacekeepers in Africa to the mishandling of the Iraq oil for food programme.

A UN spokesman yesterday described the prospect of a budget cut as "worrying" and recalled problems created in the late 1980s and early 1990s, the last time Congress implemented such cuts. The US is the single biggest contributor to the UN, paying about 22% of the total budget, with Japan second on 19.5%

(more at link above)

[Up2Late]

16. Republicans threaten to starve UN of funds (The Guardian)

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[Byrdsmyman]

17. IMO the should Sell the property in NY and give money to needy

Needy here in our own country....we have to much technology to have to have all these diplomats to meet in one location....when you can see someone face to face over video.etc. the UN can still have members just meet at different locations like the G8 does.

[chlamor]

19. Republicans Threaten to Starve UN of Funds

Republicans threaten to starve UN of funds

Ewen MacAskill, diplomatic editor
Saturday May 21, 2005
The Guardian

The US Congress is on a collision course with the United Nations by threatening to cut its annual budget by tens of millions of pounds, which would disrupt its work on the ground.

Henry Hyde, the Republican chairman of the house international relations committee, is circulating an 80-page draft bill suggesting cuts to UN programmes congressmen regard as inefficient or worthless.

Republican senators have waged a long campaign against the UN, much of whose work they oppose on ideological grounds. Their case has been aided by recent scandals, ranging from sex abuse by UN peacekeepers in Africa to the mishandling of the Iraq oil for food programme.

<snip>

Mr Hyde's United Nations reform bill of 2005 proposes that the UN implement various reforms and that failure to do so will result in a 50% budget cut. The bill targets programmes, including the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees, which the Israeli government has been campaigning against.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/usa/story/0,12271,1489155,00.html

[Erika]

20. Ah, Mr. Hyde

who while indicting Clinton admitted after being outed by Flynt to a youthful indiscretion while he was in his 40's. He is SUCH a man of integrity (sarcasm off).

[shanti]

21. oh i get it

if they can't screw the un up by inserting bolton in there, they'll do it another way. this appears to be their plan....

[Ready4Change]

22. Doing it to the USA. Why not UN too?

Oh, wait. They are SPENDING all of the USA's money, and starving the UN.

My bad.

:sarcasm:

[firefox]

23. The UN should leave New York and this country

The US has nothing to do with peace. What we want is to get the world to finance our militarization of space and even more militarization on the ground.

[NorCalDem]

24. If things keep going the way they are,

the UN might need to but some peacekeepers in this country.

[Nothing Without Hope]

25. Just like they've been threatening to starve COURTS of funds if they

don't follow neocon orders.

Predictable lot, these criminals.

Recommended.

[xxqqqzme]

26. hey, great idea there jeckel

We have the arab world pissed off @ us, for an abundance of good reasons, so let's curl up even tighter w/ sharon and cut funds to Palestinian refugees - yea, that should help our image.

Can't we be saved from these nof*ckingvision criminals who R taking this country down the toilet?

[bpilgrim]

27. are they calling it the "LEAVE NO NATION BEHIND" bill?

if it's good enough for our children i'm sure it must be good enough for the rest of the world.

peace