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House Passes Bill to Slash Funds to U.N.
    #4316636 -

By JIM ABRAMS, Associated Press Writer
Fri Jun 17, 2:58 PM ET



WASHINGTON - Culminating years of frustration with the performance and behavior of the United Nations, the House voted Friday to slash U.S. contributions to the world body if it does not substantially change the way it operates.

The 221-184 vote, which came despite a Bush administration warning that such a move could actually sabotage reform efforts, was a strong signal from Congress that a policy of persuasion wasn't enough to straighten out the U.N.

"We have had enough waivers, enough resolutions, enough statements," said House International Relations Committee Chairman Henry Hyde, R-Ill., the author of the legislation. "It's time we had some teeth in reform."

The legislation would withhold half of U.S. dues to the U.N.'s general budget if the organization did not meet a list of demands for change. Failure to comply would also result in U.S. refusal to support expanded and new peacekeeping missions. The bill's prospects in the Senate are uncertain.

Just prior to the final vote, the House rejected, 216-190, an alternative offered by the top Democrat on the International Relations Committee, Tom Lantos of California, that also would have outlined U.N. reforms but would have left it to the discretion of the secretary of state whether to withhold U.S. payments.

During the two days of debate, legislators discussed the seating of such human rights abusers as Cuba and Sudan on the U.N. Commission on Human Rights and the oil-for-food program that became a source of up to $10 billion in illicit revenue for former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein.

Rep. Jeff Fortenberry, R-Neb., won backing for an amendment under which the United States would use its influence to ensure that any member engaged in acts of genocide or crimes against humanity would lose its U.N. membership and face arms and trade embargoes.

Hyde was joined by lawmakers with a litany of complaints against what they said was the U.N.'s lavish spending, its coddling of rogue regimes, its anti-America, anti-Israel bias and recent scandals such as the mismanagement of the oil-for-food program in Iraq and the sexual misconduct of peacekeepers.

The administration on Thursday had urged the Republican-led House to reconsider the legislation. The administration said in a statement that it is actively engaged in U.N. reform, and the Hyde bill "could detract from and undermine our efforts."

Eight former U.S. ambassadors to the United Nations, including Madeleine Albright and Jeane Kirkpatrick, also weighed in, telling lawmakers in a letter that withholding of dues would "create resentment, build animosity and actually strengthen opponents of reform."

U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan expressed support earlier this week for another congressional effort to bring about U.N. reform. A task force led by former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, a Republican, and former Senate Majority leader George Mitchell, a Democrat, recommended such changes as setting up an independent auditing board and weighted voting on financial issues for members who contribute more to the budget.

Also Thursday, the administration supported a measured expansion of the Security Council, but said widespread reform of the United Nations takes precedence.

"We are not prepared to have Security Council reform sprint out ahead of the other extremely important reforms that have to take place," Rice said at a news conference. She cited management, peace-building and halting the proliferation of dangerous weapons technology.

The bill, with amendments, lists 46 reforms sought. They include cutting the public information budget by 20 percent, establishing an independent oversight board and an ethics office, and denying countries that violate human rights from serving on human rights commissions.

The secretary of state would have to certify that 32 of the 39 reforms have been met by September 2007, and all 39 by the next year, to avoid a withdrawal of 50 percent of assessed dues.

U.S.-assessed dues account for about 22 percent of the U.N.'s $2 billion annual general budget.
http://www.freerepublic.com/^http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20050617/ap_on_go_co/us_un_reform_19


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America's debt problem is a "sign of leadership failure"

We have "reckless fiscal policies"

America has a debt problem and a failure of leadership.

Americans deserve better

Barack Obama

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Re: House Passes Bill to Slash Funds to U.N. [Re: lonestar2004]
    #4319016 -

Thumbs up to this decision :smile: :thumbup:


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Re: House Passes Bill to Slash Funds to U.N. [Re: lonestar2004]
    #4320105 -

Hooray for the House..for once


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"I have sworn upon the altar of God eternal hostility against every form of tyranny over the mind of man."

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Re: House Passes Bill to Slash Funds to U.N. [Re: lonestar2004]
    #4320140 -

Quote:
Hyde was joined by lawmakers with a litany of complaints against what they said was the U.N.'s... anti-Israel bias



:lol: The structure of the Security Council ensures that the UN is anything but anti-Israel. On the contrary, they have done nothing to criticise the actions of the Israeli government.

Anyways, it's terrifying that America feels it can unilaterally demand reforms of the one body that can perhaps (quite legitimately) can challenge it's power.

Imagine the uproar if the UN moved to exclude America until she made reforms of her electoral systems?

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Re: House Passes Bill to Slash Funds to U.N. [Re: OJK]
    #4320237 -

Quote:
Imagine the uproar if the UN moved to exclude America until she made reforms of her electoral systems?



What a blessing that would be.


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?When Alexander the Great visted the philosopher Diogenes and asked whether he could do anything for him, Diogenes is said to have replied: 'Yes, stand a little less between me and the sun.' It is what every citizen is entitled to ask of his government.?
-Henry Hazlitt in 'Economics in One Lesson'

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Re: House Passes Bill to Slash Funds to U.N. [Re: Ancalagon]
    #4320447 -

lol


we need to simply stop funding the UN. The UN is a pro-communist, anti-American, anti-gun, anti-freedom cesspool. Why is it that it is so difficult for this country to walk away from out-dated, clearly failed Marxist institutions: the UN, Social Security, the income tax? The left brands those who advocate abolition of these things as "extremists". I would submit, given the utter destruction and evil that has been wrought by them, the real extremism is practiced by those who fight to keep these institutions alive.


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America's debt problem is a "sign of leadership failure"

We have "reckless fiscal policies"

America has a debt problem and a failure of leadership.

Americans deserve better

Barack Obama

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Re: House Passes Bill to Slash Funds to U.N. [Re: OJK]
    #4320466 -

Odiumjunkie said:
that can perhaps (quite legitimately) can challenge it's power.




:lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol:

Seriously?

:lol::lol::lol:

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Re: House Passes Bill to Slash Funds to U.N. [Re: OJK]
    #4320845 -

OdiumJunkie writes:

Quote:
On the contrary, they have done nothing to criticise the actions of the Israeli government.



That is perhaps the most stunningly ignorant statement I have read in this forum, and there is no shortage of ignorant statements in this forum.

There is no nation with more UN resolutions and condemnations lodged against it than Israel. As a matter of fact, there is no nation with even 50% the resolutions and condemnations. This is so widely-publicized a fact it boggles the mind that a poster to this forum could remain unaware of it.

Unless I am somehow missing your sarcasm?

Quote:
Anyways, it's terrifying that America feels it can unilaterally demand reforms...



"Demand"? What are you talking about? The UN need not reform if it chooses not to. It would simply have to make do on less funding -- or persuade other member nations to pitch in to bring the funding back to previous levels.


Phred


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Re: House Passes Bill to Slash Funds to U.N. [Re: Phred]
    #4322645 -

I take it he's not familiar with the UN Resolution 242 or the numerous other resolutions against Israel.

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Re: House Passes Bill to Slash Funds to U.N. [Re: OJK]
    #4323667 -

Quote:
Imagine the uproar if the UN moved to exclude America until she made reforms of her electoral systems?



Yeah, and how about after that, the UN moved to exclude all those countries that are members that DON'T HAVE ANY ELECTORAL SYSTEM AT ALL.


Damn, maybe you don't like the color of the walls, but it's still a house rather than a hut.


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i finally got around to making a sig
revel in its glory and quake in fear at its might
grar.

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Re: House Passes Bill to Slash Funds to U.N. [Re: lonestar2004]
    #29470604 -

https://www.nytimes.com/2026/01/30/world/americas/un-finances-collapse-debts.html

If the US doesn't pay its dues it may lose its voting rights and the NY HQ will be closed.

Quote:
It would simply have to make do on less funding -- or persuade other member nations to pitch in to bring the funding back to previous levels.



Mandatory dues are a function of GDP. And the US hasn't paid theirs since 2024.

Edited by Holybullshit (02/01/26 01:51 AM)

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Re: House Passes Bill to Slash Funds to U.N. [Re: lonestar2004] * 1
    #29470611 -

lonestar2004 said:
We need to  simply stop funding the UN. The UN is a pro-communist,  anti-American, anti-gun,  anti-freedom cesspool. Why is it that it is so difficult for this country to walk away from out-dated, clearly failed Marxist institutions: the UN, Social Security, the income tax? The left brands those who advocate abolition of these things as "extremists". I would submit, given the utter destruction and evil that has been wrought by them, the real extremism is practiced by those who fight to keep these institutions alive.



I don't think you know the first thing about the UN and are just regurgitating demagoguery.

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Re: House Passes Bill to Slash Funds to U.N. [Re: Holybullshit]
    #29470617 -

No point in the u.n. unless usa and China save people dieing which we refuse. I.e. Sudan,Haiti, Canada.


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The better guide to grow mushrooms.
https://www.shroomery.org/forums/showflat.php/Number/8553541

Beware the power of one.  The power of two. The power of many.

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