Sam Farr: “earlier this year, Congress passed the State Department authorization bill which authorized $819 million to pay the…”

“earlier this year, Congress passed the State Department authorization bill which authorized $819 million to pay the United Nations back dues over the next two years. The Commerce, Justice, State, and Judiciary Appropriations bill includes $475 million of the $1.3 billion owed to the U.N. It is essential that this funding not be decreased or stricken. Because of its large debt to the United Nations, the United States actually risks automatically losing its vote in the United Nations General Assembly early next year. We can not afford to lose our voting rights. The United States has been trying to reduce its United Nations budget share, but negotiations ended last year when other members would not agree to pay more until the United States paid at least its current obligated share. Who can blame them. Seven former Secretaries of State wrote Congress, telling Members that "without a U.S. commitment to pay arrears . . . U.S. efforts to consolidate and advance U.N. reforms and reduce U.S. assessments are not going to succeed." The continued failure of the United States to honor these obligations threatens the financial and political viability of the United Nations.”