Tom Lantos: “The United Nations was founded at the end of the Second World War when the United States was economically not only a…”

“The United Nations was founded at the end of the Second World War when the United States was economically not only a superpower but had a vastly disproportionate share of global gross domestic product. At that time, our contribution to the U.N. was 40 percent. It is now 22 percent; and I think a legitimate case can be made for multilaterally, through negotiation, adjusting our contributions to the U.N. as gross domestic products of the various countries change. But to take unilateral action at this stage, when the United Nations is so badly needed, despite all of its flaws, would be a singularly ill-advised move; and I strongly urge all of my colleagues to reject this amendment.”