Preventing Terrorism at the U.N. Act of 2024

Bill: 118-s-3717
Sponsor: full_name: Sen. Scott, Tim [R-SC]
Introduced: 2024-01-31
Policy area: International Affairs
Latest action: action_date: 2024-01-31
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations.

Summaries:

tv_txt: II 118th CONGRESS 2d Session S. 3717 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES January 31, 2024 Mr. Scott of South Carolina (for himself and Mr. Cruz ) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations A BILL To prohibit United States voluntary contributions to the United Nations.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Preventing Terrorism at the U.N. Act of 2024 . 2. Findings Congress finds the following: (1) The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (referred to in this Act as UNRWA ) was established through passage of United Nations Resolution 302 (1949) to assist Arab refugees who had been displaced by the 1948 Arab-Israeli conflict. (2) The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (referred to in this Act as UNHCR ) was established by the United Nations General Assembly in 1950 to assist refugees and other displaced persons, including internally displaced persons, in all regions around the world. (3) UNRWA is the only specialized agency or entity of the United Nations with a sole conflict or regional mandate. (4) For years, UNRWA has faced credible and corroborated accusations of corruption, antisemitism, and support for terrorism. (5) Such accusations include the use of antisemitic material in UNRWA classrooms and the use of UNWRA facilities for the storage of munitions by Hamas, an Iranian-backed, United States-designated foreign terrorist organization. (6) On January 26, 2024, UNRWA terminated the contracts of 12 staff members who were accused of participating in Hamas’ brutal terrorist attacks against Israel on October 7, 2023. (7) The attacks of October 7, 2023, claimed the lives of 1,200 Israelis and foreign nationals, including 35 citizens of the United States, and resulted in the hostage taking of 240 Israelis and foreign nationals. (8) The United States has contributed more than $7,000,000,000 to UNRWA since 1949, making it the largest individual donor to the agency. (9) United States contributions to UNRWA were suspended from 2018 through 2020, due to allegations of corruption, antisemitism, and support for terrorism. (10) The United States has provided more than $730,000,000 to UNRWA since United States contributions to the agency resumed in 2021. (11) Following the accusations of the involvement of UNRWA staff in the terrorist attacks of October 7, 2023, the Department of State announced the temporary suspension of United States funding to UNRWA. (12) Since January 26, 2024, more than sixteen additional countries and the European Union have suspended their contributions to UNRWA. (13) While the majority of funding for UNRWA comes from voluntary contributions, the agency receives a portion of its funding from the regular budget of the United Nations. (14) The estimated budget for the UNRWA for United Nations fiscal year 2024 includes $55,176,800 from the regular budget of the United Nations. (15) The United States provides 22 percent of the regular budget of the United Nations. 3. Sense of Congress It is the sense of Congress that the UNHCR should serve all global refugee and displaced person populations, including those within the original jurisdiction of the UNRWA. 4. Prohibition on United States contributions to the United Nations No funds may be provided as a voluntary or assessed contribution of the United States to the United Nations, including any organ, agency, or entity of the United Nations until— (1) UNRWA is abolished; (2) the Secretary of State certifies to the appropriate congressional committees that the United Nations has completed appropriate counterterrorism vetting for all United Nations employees and contractors operating in the original jurisdiction of the UNRWA; and (3) the Secretary of State certifies to the appropriate congressional committees that the United Nations, including staff and facilities receiving United Nations funding, do not teach, promote, or include in materials, such as textbooks and other instructional materials, any content that promotes antisemitism or encourages violence or intolerance toward other countries or ethnic groups. 5. Transition report Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the President shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees a report that— (1) identifies the totality of services provided by UNRWA; (2) details how such services will be absorbed by existing United Nations funds, programs, specialized agencies, and organizations; (3) details how such services may be absorbed through bilateral assistance; (4) includes a plan to ensure all United Nations funds, programs, specialized agencies, and organizations implement and maintain stringent counterterrorism vetting standards; and (5) includes a plan to ensure all United Nations funds, programs, specialized agencies, and organizations implement and maintain stringent oversight of educational material and curriculum that prohibits all content that promotes antisemitism or encourages violence or intolerance toward other countries or ethnic groups. 6. Appropriate congressional committees defined In this Act, the term appropriate congressional committees means— (1) the Committee on Foreign Relations and the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate; and (2) the Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives.