I

105TH CONGRESS

1ST SESSION H. R. 934

To prohibit the payment to the United Nations of any contributions by

the United States until United States overpayments to such body have

been properly credited or reimbursed.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

MARCH 5, 1997

Mr. BARTLETT of Maryland (for himself, Mr. DELAY, Mr. TRAFICANT, Mr.

WATTS of Oklahoma, Mr. STEARNS, Mr. STUMP, Mr. TIAHRT, Mr.

SKEEN, Mr. DUNCAN, Mr. EHRLICH, Mr. SOLOMON, Mr. ROHRABACHER,

Mr. BARR of Georgia, Mr. CRANE, Mr. LEWIS of Kentucky, Mr.

SCARBOROUGH, Mr. SALMON, Mr. MANZULLO, Mr. HERGER, Mr.

WELDON of Florida, Mr. ISTOOK, Mr. MCINTOSH, Mr. SESSIONS, Mr.

SNOWBARGER, Mr. PETERSON of Pennsylvania, Mr. JONES, Mr. SAM

JOHNSON of Texas, Mr. HILLEARY, Mr. HOSTETTLER, Mr. BARTON of

Texas, Mr. GRAHAM, Mr. BURTON of Indiana, Mr. PITTS, Mr. HUNTER,

Mr. MCKEON, Mr. PACKARD, Mr. NEUMANN, Mr. DICKEY, Mr. COBLE,

Mrs. EMERSON, Mr. SOUDER, Mr. DOOLITTLE, Mrs. CHENOWETH, Mr.

BONO, Mrs. NORTHUP, Mr. CANNON, Mr. PAUL, Mr. METCALF, Mr.

CALVERT, Mr. HASTINGS of Washington, and Mr. HUTCHINSON) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on International Relations

A BILL

To prohibit the payment to the United Nations of any contributions by the United States until United States overpayments to such body have been properly credited or

reimbursed.

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
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1 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

2 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘United Nations Erro3 neous Debt Act of 1997’’.

4 SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSES.

5 (a) FINDINGS.—The Congress makes the following

6 findings:

7 (1) A March 1996 General Accounting Office

8 report entitled ‘‘Peace Operations’’ details that the

9 United States has provided $6,600,400,000 during

10 fiscal years 1992 through 1995 in support of mili11 tary and peacekeeping operations of the United Na12 tions.

13 (2) These funds which have come from various

14 Federal agencies, primarily the Department of De15 fense, were used to provide military supplies, trans16 portation, humanitarian relief, and other services.

17 (3) Only about $1,800,000,000 was credited

18 against assessed contributions to the United Na19 tions.

20 (4) Of the remaining $4,800,000,000, only

21 $79,400,000 was reimbursed to the United States by

22 the United Nations.

23 (5) In effect providing a $4,720,600,000 gift to

24 the United Nations from the United States, which

25 has not been credited against the alleged arrearages

26 in assessed contributions owed by the United States
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1 to the United Nations in the reported amount of

2 $1,300,000,000.

3 (6) It is not in the United States taxpayers’

4 best interest to pay so-called debts to the United

5 Nations that do not take into account all of the

6 other assistance the United States has provided to

7 the United Nations.

8 (7) There is no United States debt to the Unit9 ed Nations.

10 (b) PURPOSES.—It is the purpose of this Act to ter11 minate and prohibit all payments of assessed or voluntary

12 contributions to the United Nations or any specialized

13 agency of the United Nations until a just accounting has

14 credited other assistance provided by the United States

15 to the United Nations against alleged arrearages in as16 sessed contributions.

17 SEC. 3. TERMINATION AND PROHIBITION OF PAYMENTS TO

18 THE UNITED NATIONS.

19 (a) IN GENERAL.—Until a certification is made

20 under subsection (b) and notwithstanding any other provi21 sion of law, funds appropriated or otherwise made avail22 able for any fiscal year under ‘‘Contributions to Inter23 national Organizations’’, ‘‘Contributions for International

24 Peacekeeping’’, or any other account shall not be available

25 for the payment of any assessed or voluntary contribution
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1 to the United Nations or any specialized agency of the

2 United Nations or for any obligation or expenditure of

3 funds for the United Nations or any specialized agency

4 of the United Nations.

5 (b) CERTIFICATION.—The certification referred to in

6 subsection (a) is a certification by the President to the

7 Congress that—

8 (1) the United Nations has entered into an

9 agreement with the United States to reimburse or

10 credit to the account of the United States an

11 amount, which is not less than $4,720,600,000,

12 which reflects unreimbursed financial and other as13 sistance of the United States to the military peace14 keeping efforts of the United Nations from 1992

15 through 1995; or

16 (2) the United Nations—

17 (A) has eliminated $1,300,000,000 in al18 leged arrearages of the United States to the

19 United Nations; and

20 (B) has entered into an agreement with

21 the United States to reimburse or credit to the

22 account of the United States an amount, which

23 is not less than $3,500,000,000.

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