BuzzFeed News is reporting that House Republicans are preparing legislation that would decrease or potentially eliminate U.S. funding for the United Nations.
From The Hill:
The House Freedom Caucus will convene next Monday to discuss two options: decreasing funding or stipulating that funding is voluntary, requiring Congress to decide every two years whether to continue contributions.
“One is an incremental step; the other is really a herculean leap,” said Rep. Mark Meadows (R-N.C.), who chairs the Freedom Caucus, according to the report.
“Israel is a bipartisan issue, so I think that [if legislation] is measured and appropriate, we could pick up a lot of Democrats to support it as well.”
According to a 2012 analysis by the conservative Heritage Foundation, the United States provides over 22 percent of the U.N.’s budget, which it is required to do as a member of the organization under its charter. The U.S. has earmarked $594 million in U.N. operational funding for next year, according to BuzzFeed. The effort to cut back on financial support comes after the United Nations Security Council voted 14-0 on a resolution condemning Israeli settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem. The Obama administration abstained from the vote, refusing to use its veto power to block the resolution.
New Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) who criticized the Obama administration after the resolution passed, declined to comment to BuzzFeed over the issue of U.N. funding. full story
