Rep. Pitts supports reform of UN

Washington — Congressman Joe Pitts (R, PA-16) today supported H.R. 2745, the Henry J. Hyde United Nations Reform Act of 2005.  The legislation, which passed by a vote of 221 to 184, would withhold 50 percent of the United States’ UN dues if the international body does not make certain reforms in the areas of accountability, peacekeeping, human rights, and others.   Congressman Pitts’ floor statement follows.

“Billion dollar cover-ups, fraud investigations, abuses of power, calls for resignation, shredded documents.  I’m not talking about the Nixon and Clinton Administrations, though both contained plenty of all the above. I’m talking about the United Nations – that most sacred cow of international organizations. It’s been the subject of many scandals.

“The UN plays a vital role in mediating disputes, caring for the poor, and facilitating dialogue.  But the system seems to breed abuse and fraud because the UN’s huge bureaucracy is accountable to no one.  There are no voters to keep it honest.  And much of what happens, happens behind closed doors.  Changes need to be made, and they need to be made in the structure of the UN itself.  Cosmetic changes won’t cut it.

“The American people provide more than $420 million to the U.N.'s budget.  So 4.6 percent of the world’s population pays 22 percent of the UN’s budget – based, by the way, on a formula developed by UN bureaucrats.  So we have a responsibility to our constituents to monitor how the UN acts and how it spends their money. 

“With H.R. 2745, we targeted the issue, which is our lack of leverage in getting reforms through at the UN.  This plan would give American taxpayers a voice on how the UN deals with issues like religious freedom, political oppression, weapons proliferation, and the widespread abuses of power that have plagued the U.N. since its earliest days. It also makes clear that elected representatives not bureaucrats are ultimately responsible for how taxpayer money is spent,” said Congressman Pitts.

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