For years, I have been pushing for the United States to reexamine its relationship with UNRWA, the U.N. Relief and Works Agency. UNRWA employs individuals affiliated with Hamas, a U.S.-designated terrorist organization that openly and loudly incites violence against Israel; yet the United States--which means the U.S. taxpayer--sends nearly $300 million a year to this organization, to UNRWA without questioning, without scrutiny. Just last week, the U.N. quietly suspended several individuals after allegations of incitement were brought forth from the NGO U.N. Watch. And we thank U.N. Watch for carefully looking over this organization. These allegations, Mr. Speaker, are just the tip of the iceberg. We must not continue to send taxpayer dollars to UNRWA--again, that is the United Nations Relief and Works Agency--and, subsequently, to individuals tied to the terror group Hamas in violation of our laws. That is why, Mr. Speaker, earlier this week, I reintroduced my bill that would stop all U.S. contributions to UNRWA until the organization purges its payroll of individuals who incite violence against Israel and until that organization ends all its affiliations with Hamas. Is that really too much to ask, that we should demand that before U.N. agencies get one penny of U.S. taxpayer money that they must not incite violence and that they must no longer affiliate themselves with a U.S.- designated terrorist organization?…
On the recordOctober 28, 2015
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