Victory for New York City: GOP fails to KO $179M from UN
BY Michael McauliffDaily News
February 10, 2011
WASHINGTON - A GOP attempt to strip $179 million from the UN - including $100 million in security cash for the NYPD - failed in Congress on Wednesday.
The bid to grab the money was hatched by voters on the GOP's YouCut website who wanted to take back overpayments the U.S. has made to the UN.
But Uncle Sam already was seeking much of the money, including $100 million slated for security upgrades the police want around the international body's East Side headquarters.
The only Republicans to oppose the plan were Reps. Pete King of Long Island, head of the Homeland Security Committee, and Michael Grimm of Staten Island.
King declared the funding vital to fend off attacks on one of the world's top terror targets. "This is a matter of life and death," he said.
Normal rules were suspended for the vote, so it needed two-thirds, and failed 259 to 169.
Democrats said Republicans were penny-foolish on defense.
"It's stupid. Vote no on stupid," said Rep. Gary Ackerman (D-Queens).