U.N. Reform Advocate Questions What U.S. Is Getting for Its $7B Contribution

Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, chairwoman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, addresses a press conference on Capitol Hill on Tuesday to discuss the U.N. Transparency, Accountability, and Reform Act. Standing with her is Rep. Allen West (R-Fla.). (Photo courtesy House Foreign Affairs Committee)

CNSNews.com
September 14, 2011


(CNSNews.com) – House Foreign Affairs Committee chairwoman Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen acknowledged Tuesday that legislation aimed at making U.S. funding to the United Nations contingent on reforms lacks bipartisan support but said it was important to make a stand for “the principles that we believe in.”

As she prepares to mark up her bill in committee, Ros-Lehtinen (R-Fla.) faces mounting opposition from the Obama administration and advocacy groups supportive of deeper U.S. engagement with the U.N.

The U.N. Transparency, Accountability, and Reform Act (H.R. 2829) also lacks the support of a single House Democrat. The number of co-sponsors has climbed from 57 on Aug. 30 – the day the bill was introduced – to 74 as of Tuesday; all 74 are Republicans.

The bill seeks to change the way the U.N. is funded, allowing the U.S. and other member states to fund only those activities and agencies deemed efficient and in the national interest.
Read the entire article