I
106TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. R. 1974
Directing the President to develop a strategy to bring the United States
back into full and active participation in the United Nations Educational,
Scientific, and Cultural Organization.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
MAY 27, 1999
Mr. LANTOS (for himself, Mr. LEACH, Mr. GEJDENSON, Mr. BERMAN, Mr.
ABERCROMBIE, Mr. HASTINGS of Florida, Mr. MCGOVERN, Ms. MCKIN-
NEY, and Mr. SERRANO) introduced the following bill; which was referred
to the Committee on International Relations
A BILL
Directing the President to develop a strategy to bring the
United States back into full and active participation in
the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural
Organization.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. CONGRESSIONAL FINDINGS.
The Congress finds that—
(1) the United Nations Educational, Scientific,
and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) was created
in 1946 as an integral part of the United Nations
HR 1974 IH
system, designed to promote international coopera-
tion and exchanges in the fields of education,
science, culture, and communication with the larger
purpose of constructing ‘‘the defenses of peace’’
against intolerance and incitements to war;
(2) in 1984 the United States withdrew from
membership in UNESCO over serious questions of
internal management and political polarization;
(3) since the United States withdrew from the
organization, UNESCO has elected new leadership,
instituted tightened financial controls and strategic
planning, cut budget and staff, restored recognition
of intellectual property rights, and returned to sup-
port for the principle of an unfettered, independent
international press, thus addressing the criticisms
which formed the basis for the United States’ with-
drawal from membership in the organization;
(4) in 1993 the General Accounting Office,
after conducting an extensive review of UNESCO’s
progress in implementing changes directed at solving
the problems that were cited by the United States
in its decision to withdraw from the organization in
1984, concluded that the organization’s member
states, the Director General of UNESCO, managers,
and employee associations have demonstrated a com-
HR 1974 IH
mitment to management reform through their ac-
tions;
(5) United States participation in UNESCO
programs in education, science, culture, and commu-
nication offers a man for advancing the foreign pol-
icy interests of the United States through the pro-
motion of democracy and the development of civil so-
cieties, sustainable development, and the peaceful
resolution of conflict;
(6) the UNESCO charter states that ‘‘since
wars begin in the minds of men, it is in the minds
of men that the defenses of peace must be con-
structed.’’ If there is any hope of diminishing intol-
erance and hostility among nations it must come
through a greater international commitment to edu-
cation and mutual understanding which UNESCO
nurtures;
(7) security in the twenty-first century will be
more dependent upon education and cultural ad-
vancement than upon the acquisition of increasingly
costly and sophisticated arsenals of war; hence, it is
imperative to build up international organizations
such as UNESCO which advance international un-
derstanding and techniques of conflict resolution.
HR 1974 IH
SEC. 2. ACTIONS TO BE TAKEN BY THE PRESIDENT.
The President shall—
(1) develop a strategy to bring the United
States back into active and full membership in the
United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural
Organization (UNESCO) as soon as practicable;
(2) direct the Secretary of State to consult with
government agencies, nongovernmental organiza-
tions, and other interested parties that had substan-
tial involvement with the work of UNESCO before
the withdrawal of the United States in order to for-
mulate goals the United States should pursue
through its participation in UNESCO and to reex-
amine the framework established in law for the par-
ticipation of the American nongovernmental sector
in UNESCO activities;
(3) direct the Secretary of State to reconstitute
the 
United 
States 
National 
Commission 
for
UNESCO; and
(4) consult with other governments on prospects
for further reform of UNESCO’s policy bodies and
governance, particularly with an eye to strength-
ening in all member states the role of independent,
nongovernmental, intellectual sectors in agency pro-
grams and governance.
HR 1974 IH
SEC. 3. REPORT BY THE DEPARTMENT OF STATE.
(a) Six months after the enactment of this legislation,
the Department of State shall deliver a report in writing
to the Congress detailing the actions taken by the Presi-
dent pursuant to section 2 of this act. This report shall
be made to the Committee on International Relations of
the House of Representatives and to the Committee on
Foreign Relations of the Senate.
(b) After the initial report, the Department of State
shall deliver a report in writing annually to the Congress
until the United States again becomes a fully participating
member of UNESCO.
Æ