I 
108TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 4284 
To require the withholding of United States contributions to the United 
Nations until the President certifies that the United Nations is cooper-
ating in the investigation of the United Nations Oil-for-Food Program. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MAY 5, 2004 
Mr. FLAKE (for himself, Mr. PENCE, Mr. DAVIS of Tennessee, Mr. BURTON 
of Indiana, Mr. STENHOLM, Mr. BALLENGER, Mr. MATHESON, Mr. 
CHABOT, Mr. TANCREDO, Mr. SMITH of Michigan, Mr. PITTS, Mr. AKIN, 
Mr. BARTLETT of Maryland, Mrs. BLACKBURN, Mr. CANTOR, Mr. 
CARTER, Mr. CHOCOLA, Mrs. CUBIN, Mr. DOOLITTLE, Mr. FEENEY, Mr. 
GARRETT of New Jersey, Mr. GINGREY, Mr. GUTKNECHT, Ms. HART, 
Mr. HENSARLING, Mr. HERGER, Mr. JONES of North Carolina, Mrs. 
KELLY, Mr. KING of Iowa, Mr. KLINE, Mrs. MUSGRAVE, Mrs. MYRICK, 
Mr. RYAN of Wisconsin, Mr. SHADEGG, and Mr. TOOMEY) introduced the 
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on International Rela-
tions 
A BILL 
To require the withholding of United States contributions 
to the United Nations until the President certifies that 
the United Nations is cooperating in the investigation 
of the United Nations Oil-for-Food Program. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘United Nations Oil- 
for-Food Accountability Act of 2004’’. 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
Congress finds the following: 
(1) Allegations have been raised of substantial 
fraud and corruption in the administration of the 
Office of the Iraq Oil-for-Food Program of the 
United Nations. 
(2) The United Nations received 2.2 percent of 
the proceeds of the sale of the oil exported from Iraq 
under the oil-for-food program, representing ap-
proximately $1,400,000,000, to fund the administra-
tive costs of the program. 
(3) The General Accounting Office estimates 
that during the period from 1997 through 2002, the 
former Iraqi regime received $10,100,000,000 in il-
legal revenues from the oil-for-food program, includ-
ing $5,700,000,000 received from oil smuggled out 
of Iraq and $4,400,000,000 received from sur-
charges on oil sales and illicit commissions from sup-
pliers exporting goods to Iraq. 
(4) Any illicit activity by United Nations offi-
cials, personnel, agents, or contractors, including en-
tities that have entered into contracts under the oil-
for-food program, is unacceptable and should be 
thoroughly investigated. 
(5) Documents in the files of the former Oil 
Ministry of Iraq indicate that Benon Sevan, the Ex-
ecutive Director of the oil-for-food program, and 
other senior United Nations officials may have been 
connected to an illicit scheme in which approxi-
mately 270 prominent foreign officials, business peo-
ple, and political entities received the right to trade 
in Iraqi oil at below-market prices. 
(6) On April 21, 2004, the United Nations Se-
curity Council adopted Resolution 1538, which es-
tablished a high-level inquiry into allegations regard-
ing the administration of the oil-for-food program. 
The inquiry will be led by Paul Volcker, but the in-
vestigators will not have subpoena power. 
(7) The ability and credibility of the United Na-
tions Security Council to act in matters of war and 
peace is threatened by the alleged influence of politi-
cally connected individuals, companies, and institu-
tions of the permanent member states who received 
Iraqi oil contracts. 
(8) The ability and credibility of the United Na-
tions to convey legitimacy to the new Government of 
Iraq and assist in the reconstruction of postwar Iraq
is hampered by these allegations of United Nations 
corruption and mismanagement in the oil-for-food 
program. 
SEC. 3. OIL-FOR-FOOD PROGRAM DEFINED. 
In this Act, the term ‘‘oil-for-food program’’ means 
the program established and administered pursuant to 
United Nations Security Council Resolution 986 (April 14, 
1995) and subsequent United Nations resolutions to per-
mit the sale of petroleum products exported from Iraq and 
to use the revenue generated from such sale for humani-
tarian assistance. 
SEC. 4. PAYMENT OF UNITED STATES CONTRIBUTIONS FOR 
UNITED NATIONS REGULAR BUDGET CONTIN-
GENT UPON PRESIDENTIAL CERTIFICATION 
OF UNITED NATIONS COOPERATION. 
(a) WITHHOLDING OF PORTION OF ASSESSED CON-
TRIBUTIONS.—Until the President submits to Congress a 
certification that satisfies the requirements described in 
subsection (b), amounts shall be withheld from amounts 
appropriated for contributions to international organiza-
tions as follows: 
(1) Of the funds appropriated for contributions 
to international organizations in an Act making ap-
propriations for fiscal year 2005, 10 percent of the 
amount available for United States assessed con-
tributions to the regular budget of the United Na-
tions for such fiscal year. 
(2) Of the funds appropriated for contributions 
to international organizations in an Act making ap-
propriations for fiscal year 2006, 20 percent of the 
amount available for United States assessed con-
tributions to the regular budget of the United Na-
tions for such fiscal year. 
(b) CERTIFICATION.—The certification referred to in 
subsection (a) is a certification made by the President to 
Congress that— 
(1) the United Nations has in effect procedures 
that provide the General Accounting Office access to 
all documents relating to the oil-for-food program so 
that the Comptroller General may perform nation-
ally mandated reviews of United Nations operations; 
(2) the United Nations Secretary General has 
formally confirmed that the United Nations will not 
assert the inviolability of United Nations papers and 
internal records that concern the oil-for-food pro-
gram or a sanction imposed on Iraq related to the 
oil-for-food program; 
(3) the United Nations Secretary General has 
authorized the release to the law enforcement au-
thorities of any member state of the United Nations
authentic copies of any document in the possession 
of the United Nations, including any document in 
the possession of a person who was engaged on a 
contract basis to provide goods or services to the 
United Nations, that in the judgment of the request-
ing authority directly or indirectly concerns the oil- 
for-food program or a sanction imposed on Iraq re-
lated to the oil-for-food program upon request by 
such law enforcement authority; 
(4) the United Nations has waived any immu-
nity enjoyed by any United Nations official from the 
judicial process in the United States for any civil or 
criminal acts or omissions under Federal or State 
law that may have transpired within the jurisdiction 
of the United States in connection with the oil-for- 
food program; and 
(5) any United Nations official who benefitted 
financially from the oil-for-food program has reim-
bursed the Government of Iraq and any other entity 
affected by the illicit activity of such official the full 
amount that such official improperly received from 
the oil-for-food program. 
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