Posted on 06/09/2005 4:21:44 PM PDT by CHARLITE
A House committee yesterday voted to slash U.S. dues payments to the United Nations by half if the world body fails to enact sweeping reforms to its budget, human rights arm and peacekeeping missions.
By a one-vote margin, the House International Relations Committee rejected a softer Democratic alternative that would have given Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice the power to decide whether to withhold dues.
Committee Chairman Henry J. Hyde, Illinois Republican and a co-sponsor of the bill, said anything short of a mandatory cutoff of U.S. funds was an "empty gesture" in the face of such scandals as the oil-for-food program and sexual abuse by U.N. peacekeeping troops.
"If you're going to reform something, reform it," Mr. Hyde said. "If you really believe it will kill the United Nations to make it accountable, let's say so today."
Bill opponents said the dues threat would revive the bitter U.S.-U.N. budget wars of the 1980s and 1990s, when U.S. arrearages reached nearly $1 billion.
Ranking committee Democrat Rep. Tom Lantos of California, who offered the failed alternative, said both the State Department and Secretary-General Kofi Annan -- currently pushing his own reform program -- have opposed cutting U.S. dues payments as a way to spur change.
He and other Democrats noted they were showing more faith in Miss Rice than were the Hyde bill's Republican backers.
"The logic of putting ourselves in a straitjacket absolutely escapes me," Mr. Lantos said.
Mr. Lantos' amendment lost on a 24-23 vote, with two Republicans -- Jim Leach of Iowa and Ron Paul of Texas -- joining committee Democrats in support.
(Excerpt) Read more at insider.washingtontimes.com ...
Since you brought up Bolton...Frist said he hoped to have a vote early next week...
No reforms = the U.S. bails and simultaneously gives "Kofi the Corrupt" an eviction notice.
Ron Paul voted for the Democrat ammendment? wtf?
We must Pass the HYDE-Pence bill.This sucker must get through the Senate.
"Ron Paul voted for the Democrat ammendment? wtf?"
Our 08 VP is acting up again,LOL! Does someone know why he voted against the great HYDE-Pence UN reform?
Probably doesn't believe we should be paying anything to begin with.
He doesn't think we should pay anything, so he wants us to pay the full amount. Very strange logic if that's what he was thinking.
neither does Pence,B ut we are paying!So we have to deal with it! I really do not have a problem with Paul's vote,but if the vote was tied I would EXPECT him to vote it out of committee and vote however he wanted on the floor!
No, it was an obvious ploy to stick Rice with the ball so Dems could pile-on when & if she decided to cut funds. Cowards.
Bump for later
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.