Larry Pressler: “last week I offered an amendment-- adopted by this body by a vote of 93-6--designed to put pressure on the United…”

“last week I offered an amendment-- adopted by this body by a vote of 93-6--designed to put pressure on the United Nations [U.N.] to appoint a permanent, independent inspector general. Today I seek to enhance our leverage with the U.N. on this point. As I said last week, this is an issue I have struggled with for years. It concerns the rampant waste, fraud, and abuse at the U.N. The examples are innumerable. I presented a litany during consideration of my earlier amendment. I will not reiterate them all here. However, let me touch upon the highlights. The U.N. has no system to monitor its cash flow. No U.N. official can tell us how many people are on the U.N. payroll. Millions of dollars are spent on equipment that is not needed or does not work. There is absolutely no accountability. Some will say that the U.S. Congress suffers from the same sorts of problems. The difference is that we have independent inspectors general to investigate and recommend punishment for those guilty of misconduct. U.S. attorneys can indict any one of us here in Congress for violating the law. Not one U.N. official has that kind of authority. The U.N. needs a permanent, independent inspector general. My amendment which passed last week requires that, beginning in fiscal year 1994, 10 percent of our assessed contributions to nonpeacekeeping operations of the U.N. be withheld until the President certifies the U.N. has established a permanent, independent inspector general.”