DEFUND Act of 2023

Bill: 118-s-3428
Sponsor: full_name: Sen. Lee, Mike [R-UT]
Introduced: 2023-12-06
Policy area: International Affairs
Latest action: action_date: 2023-12-06
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations.

Summaries:
action_date: 2023-12-06
action_desc: Introduced in Senate
text: <html><body bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><p><b>Disengaging Entirely From the United Nations Debacle Act of 2023 or the DEFUND Act of 2023</b></p> <p>This bill directs the President to terminate U.S. membership in the United Nations (U.N.) and all affiliated bodies. It also ends U.S. participation in all U.N. conventions and agreements.</p> <p>Funds may be appropriated to facilitate U.S. withdrawal from the U.N. No funds may be made available for contributions or payments to any U.N. body. </p> <p>The bill prohibits U.S. participation in any U.N. peacekeeping operation. </p> <p>The bill also repeals diplomatic immunity for officers and employees of the U.N. and for officers and employees of foreign government missions to the U.N.</p> <p>The bill repeals various acts related to the U.N., including the United Nations Participation Act of 1945, the United Nations Headquarters Agreement Act, and a joint resolution establishing U.S. membership in the World Health Organization. </p> <p>The United States may not rejoin the U.N. or any affiliated body without the advice and consent of the Senate. Any agreement to rejoin the U.N. or an affiliated body must include the right of the United States to withdraw from the agreement.</p></body></html>

tv_txt: II 118th CONGRESS 1st Session S. 3428 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES December 6, 2023 Mr. Lee introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations A BILL To terminate membership by the United States in the United Nations, and for other purposes.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Disengaging Entirely From the United Nations Debacle Act of 2023 or the DEFUND Act of 2023 . 2. Repeal of United Nations Participation Act of 1945 (a) Repeal The United Nations Participation Act of 1945 ( Public Law 79–264 ; 22 U.S.C. 287 et seq. ) is repealed. (b) Termination of membership in United Nations The President shall terminate all membership by the United States in the United Nations, and in any organ, specialized agency, commission, or other formally affiliated body of the United Nations. (c) Closure of United States Mission to United Nations The United States Mission to the United Nations is closed. Any remaining functions of such office shall not be carried out. 3. Repeal of United Nations Headquarters Agreement Act (a) Repeal The Joint Resolution of August 4, 1947 (61 Stat. 756, chapter 482; 22 U.S.C. 287 note) (commonly known as the United Nations Headquarters Agreement Act ) is repealed. (b) Withdrawal The United States withdraws from the agreement between the United States of America and the United Nations regarding the headquarters of the United Nations (signed at Lake Success, New York, on June 26, 1947, which was brought into effect by the United Nations Headquarters Agreement Act). 4. United States assessed and voluntary contributions to the United Nations No funds are authorized to be appropriated or otherwise made available for assessed or voluntary contributions of the United States to the United Nations or to any organ, specialized agency, commission or other formally affiliated body of the United Nations, except that funds may be appropriated to facilitate termination of United States membership and withdrawal of United States personnel and equipment, in accordance with sections 2 and 3, respectively. Upon termination of United States membership, no payments shall be made to the United Nations or to any organ, specialized agency, commission or other formally affiliated body of the United Nations, out of any funds appropriated prior to such termination or out of any other funds available for such purposes. 5. United Nations peacekeeping operations The United States may not participate in any peacekeeping operation of the United Nations. 6. Withdrawal of United Nations presence in facilities of the Government of the United States and repeal of diplomatic immunity (a) Withdrawal from United States Government property The United Nations (including any organ, specialized agency, commission or other formally affiliated body of the United Nations) may not occupy or use any property or facility of the United States Government. (b) Diplomatic immunity No officer or employee of the United Nations (including any organ, specialized agency, commission or other formally affiliated body of the United Nations) or any representative, officer, or employee of any mission to the United Nations of any foreign government shall be entitled to enjoy the privileges and immunities of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations done at Vienna April 18, 1961, nor may any such privileges and immunities be extended to any such individual. The privileges, exemptions, and immunities provided for in the International Organizations Immunities Act ( 22 U.S.C. 288 et seq. ), or in any agreement or treaty to which the United States is a party, including the Agreement Between the United Nations and the United States of America Regarding the Headquarters of the United Nations, signed at Lake Success June 26, 1947, and entered into force November 21, 1947, and the Convention on the Privileges and Immunities of the United Nations, done at New York February 13, 1946, and entered into force with respect to the United States on April 29, 1970, shall not apply to the United Nations or to any organ, specialized agency, commission or other formally affiliated body of the United Nations, to the officers and employees of the United Nations, or of any organ, specialized agency, commission or other formally affiliated body of the United Nations, or to the families, suites, or servants of such officers or employees. 7. Repeal of United States participation in the World Health Organization The joint resolution entitled Joint Resolution providing for membership and participation by the United States in the World Health Organization and authorizing an appropriation therefor , approved June 14, 1948 ( 22 U.S.C. 290 ), is repealed. 8. Repeal of involvement in United Nations conventions and agreements The United States shall end any participation in any conventions and agreements with the United Nations and any organ, specialized agency, commission, or other formally affiliated body of the United Nations. Any remaining functions of such conventions and agreements shall not be carried out. 9. Prohibition on United States reentry into United Nations (a) In general The President may not enter into an agreement for membership in the United Nations or any organ, specialized agency, commission, or other formally affiliated body of the United Nations without the advice and consent of the Senate. (b) Withdrawal provision requirement The advice and consent of the Senate to the ratification of any agreement seeking membership in the United Nations or any organ, specialized agency, commission, or other formally affiliated body of the United Nations shall be subject to a reservation, which shall be included in the instrument of ratification, that reserves the right of the United States to withdraw from such agreement. 10. Notification The Secretary of State shall notify the United Nations and any organ, specialized agency, commission, or other formally affiliated body of the United Nations of the provisions of this Act.