GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA

SESSION 1999

H	1 

HOUSE RESOLUTION 1271

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Sponsors: Representatives Luebke and Hensley (Primary Sponsors).

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Referred to:  Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House.

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April 15, 1999

A HOUSE RESOLUTION URGING CONGRESS TO APPROPRIATE FUNDS TO PAY AMOUNTS OWED BY THE UNITED STATES TO THE UNITED NATIONS.
Whereas, during the past decade, the United States Congress, in an effort to help build a better functioning, more effective United Nations for the coming millennium, has urged the United Nations to take meaningful steps towards reforming itself by: reducing inefficiencies, streamlining the organization, eliminating budgetary growth, reducing Secretariat staff, working to reduce United Nations costs borne by the United States, refocusing development efforts in support of open trade and free markets, and taking on new and emerging global scale challenges like drug trafficking, crime, terrorism, and environmental protection; and
Whereas, a strong and effective United Nations, according to the Council on Foreign Relations, remains an important part of a strong and effective American foreign policy as it has been since its founding in 1945; and
Whereas, the United Nations has made demonstrable progress and shown good faith in moving to comply with American requests by:
(1)	Reducing its staff by more than 20% in the past decade, eliminating more than 3,000 positions in the United Nations' Secretariat, including 1,000 in the past several years;
(2)	Adopting a no-growth budget since 1994, and reducing the United Nations' regular budget by $123,000,000 in its most recent budget cycle;
(3)	Appointing an Inspector General to root out waste, fraud, and abuse, saving more than $80,000,000 and numerous improvements in organizational operations;
(4)	Consolidating a wide variety of functions, including more than 12 Secretariat departments executive units;
(5)	Appointing an Efficiency Board, akin to the United States Reinventing Government Initiative, that has resulted in hundreds of efficiency improvements and millions of dollars in savings; and
(6)	Attracting dynamic, new leaders to head key United Nations agencies and improve overall management of the United Nations system; and
Whereas, with the end of the Cold War and the rapid growth of economic globalization, the United Nations is more important than ever as a forum for peace, progress, and prosperity; particularly as the international institution capable of bringing all nations together to: (i) set basic standards that are prerequisites to trade (e.g. standards for telecommunications, transportation, and mail); (ii) work together on common global challenges like terrorism and the drug trade; (iii) promote the health and well-being of the world's children; (iv) uphold basic human rights; feed the hungry, respond to natural disasters; (v) develop peacekeeping operations and mediate conflict; and (vi) address global health challenges like polio, malaria, and malnutrition; and
Whereas, the executive and legislative branches of the United States have suggested that United Nations reform would effectuate payment of United States' past dues, which the United States is legally bound to honor and which now total more than $1,000,000,000 (or approximately one year of operations for the United Nations Secretariat); Now, therefore,
Be it resolved by the House of Representatives:
Section 1.  In recognition of the rapidly increasing importance of the United Nations to the future stability of the world, and to the future security and prosperity of the United States and other nations, and in recognition of the United Nations' marked progress and good faith work to comply with United States reform requests, the North Carolina House of Representatives commends the United States Congress for its role in helping to reform the United Nations and commends the United Nations for its successful implementation of these important and needed reforms, and petitions the United States Congress to authorize and appropriate moneys sufficient to pay amounts owed by the United States and to the United Nations, now in arrears, and, in addition, that the transfer of these funds to the United Nations be authorized by Congress in the current budget cycle.
Section 2.  The Principal Clerk shall transmit a certified copy of this resolution to each member of North Carolina's Congressional Delegation.
Section 3.  This resolution is effective upon adoption.