Benjamin Gilman: “the gentleman from Texas [Mr. Sam Johnson] certainly raises a pertinent point on the issue of the U.S. contribution to…”

“the gentleman from Texas [Mr. Sam Johnson] certainly raises a pertinent point on the issue of the U.S. contribution to the U.N. regular budget, and I share the gentleman's concerns about the level of our contributions, particularly in light of the poor management practices and inefficiencies that have been characterizing the U.N. organization. And I can assure the gentleman from Texas that our International Relations Committee will continue to press for reforms and hold the United Nations to no real growth in their budgets. If the gentleman is willing, I would be pleased to work with him on this issue as part of the State Department authorization process. Our Committee on International Relations will be considering the authorization for the State Department for fiscal years 1996 and 1997 in the next few months, and this is a bill that authorizes the funding for the United Nations and the international organizations. I am certain our Members would welcome the views of the gentleman from Texas [Mr. Sam Johnson] on the U.S. contribution to the U.N. budget, so we would look forward to being of assistance to you in addressing your concerns and interest in the U.N. regular budget consideration.”