S.Amdt. 4448

1. Adds SEC. 1209. WITHHOLDING OF CERTAIN UNITED STATES CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE UNITED NATIONS at the end of subtitle A of title XII

   Adds a section

   In S. 2766 · Placed on Calendar Senate

   (i) Termination.--The authority in this section shall expire on September 30, 2008.

   Inserted: SEC. 1209. WITHHOLDING OF CERTAIN UNITED STATES CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE UNITED NATIONS.

   Inserted: (a) Findings.--Congress makes the following findings:

   Inserted: (1) A consensus existed in September 2005 that the United Nations was in dire need of reform in order to restore its credibility. An agenda for reform was outlined in the United Nations Summit Declaration of September 2005 that was endorsed by the members of the General Assembly of the United Nations. These reforms were subsequently included in a proposal set forth by the Secretary General of the United Nations to the Fifth Committee of the General Assembly in April 2006.

   Inserted: (2) The United States Ambassador to the United Nations has continuously worked in good faith with fellow member states of the United Nations to achieve a consensus agenda for United Nations reform.

   Inserted: (3) A group of members of the General Assembly, embodied in the G-77, has obstructed progress on reform of the United Nations, specifically by rejecting those set proposals forth by the Secretary General to the Fifth Committee of the General Assembly in April 2006. These proposals stemmed directly from the Summit Outcome document endorsed by the members of the G-77 in September 2005.

   Inserted: (4) The spending cap for the United Nations agreed to in December of 2005 was premised on the need for the United Nations to demonstrate meaningful progress on reform in order to justify funding by member states of the 2006-2007 biannual budget of the United Nations.

   Inserted: (5) The G-77 has reinforced its obstructionist approach to United Nations reform by insisting that the lifting of the spending cap for the United Nations not be linked to progress on management reform issues, contrary to the position of the United States.

   Inserted: (6) The United Nations has failed to show meaningful progress in a number of areas for reform, including human rights, budget, management, and oversight.

   Inserted: (7) Congress should not authorize the remaining United Nations budget until the General Assembly approves the reform measure for the United Nations proposed by the Secretary-General.

   Inserted: (b) Withholding.--

   Inserted: (1) In general.--In the event the United Nations 2006-2007 biennium budget is adopted by the General Assembly without being accompanied by a commitment to reform measures, the United States shall withhold the remaining portion of its assessed dues that formulate its obligations within the budget that are not allocated toward humanitarian, educational, and development programs and other non-political programs considered to be high priority for the United States.

   Inserted: (2) Determination of portion of dues.--The Secretary of State shall determine the portion of the assessed dues referred to in paragraph (1) that are allocated toward humanitarian, educational, and development programs and other non-political programs considered to be high priority for the United States.

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   Inserted: (3) Treatment of certain contributions.--Voluntary contributions made by the United States to United Nations agencies over and above the assessed dues of the United States, including contributions to United Nations Peacekeeping Operations and the World Health Organization, shall not be subject to withholding under paragraph (1).

   Inserted: (c) Waiver.--The President may waive the requirement in subsection (b) upon a determination and certification to Congress that the General Assembly has made a good faith effort on reform of the United Nations, which may include progress in areas such as rationalization of United Nations mandates and a strengthening of United Nations oversight mechanisms.

   Original wording

   At the end of subtitle A of title XII add the following:

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As printed