Barbara Lee: “The United States once again became a proud member of UNESCO this past July. This decision was a huge achievement. It…”

“The United States once again became a proud member of UNESCO this past July. This decision was a huge achievement. It involved several years of negotiation, and it absolutely is in the United States' interest, something only the United States should be able to decide. {time} 1945 It is wrong to let another party make that decision for us. Debates currently at UNESCO range from protection of world heritage sites to the evolution of artificial intelligence to the responsibility of nations to respect media freedoms to the equitable access to education, and importantly, the toll of the Holocaust. The United States should be part of these discussions, making sure that our values are reflected. We are fighting for our values. Already since we rejoined in July, we have been able to successfully advocate for the direct participation of Israel in a recent meeting in Saudi Arabia--a diplomatic achievement in everyone's interest. Participation in international institutions like UNESCO are in the best interest of the United States of America. I urge my colleagues to oppose this amendment. Mr. Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.”