releases: http://ros-lehtinen.house.gov/press-release/ros-lehtinen-lauds-resolve-congress-uphold-us-law-continue-prohibit-funding-unesco
Data license: MIT · Data source: dwillis/congress-press
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| http://ros-lehtinen.house.gov/press-release/ros-lehtinen-lauds-resolve-congress-uphold-us-law-continue-prohibit-funding-unesco | Ros-Lehtinen Lauds Resolve Of Congress to Uphold U.S. Law, Continue to Prohibit Funding of UNESCO With Taxpayer Money | 2015-12-17 | 2015 | 2015-12 | Republican | House | FL | Ileana Ros-Lehtinen | R000435 | ros-lehtinen.house.gov | legacy | Ros-Lehtinen Lauds Resolve Of Congress to Uphold U.S. Law, Continue to Prohibit Funding of UNESCO With Taxpayer Money The administration continues to seek ways to undermine or circumvent U.S. laws and this was an important stand this notion that we can force change from within has proven to be false and only leveraging our contributions is an effective reform method (Washington, DC) U.S. Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL), Chairman of the Subcommittee on the Middle East and North Africa, made the following statement regarding the continued prohibition of funds for the United Nations or any of its specialized agencies that accords the Palestine Liberation Organization the same standing as member states in the FY16 Omnibus bill. Statement by Ros-Lehtinen: Im proud that Congressional appropriators and leadership stood in defense of U.S. law and Congress prerogative of the purse and opted to rebuff the administrations late efforts to win waiver authority on the prohibition of U.S. contributions to UNESCO. The administration continues to seek ways to undermine or circumvent U.S. laws and this was an important stand. Secretary Kerry and Ambassador Power continue to argue that the United States needs to have a presence within UNESCO in order to defend our interests and work to promote reforms from within. Its the same argument the administration uses to defend our continued cooperation with the UN Human Rights Council. But in the six years since the Obama administration reversed previous U.S. policy and opted to join the UNHRC, that body is as dysfunctional as ever. This notion that we can force change from within has proven to be false and only leveraging our contributions is an effective reform method. We know this law serves as a deterrence at the UN because weve seen other agencies turn the Palestinians away when they cannot afford to lose U.S. contributions. "We cannot cede leverage by allowing any waiver to this current law, or well run the risk of losing not only the deterrence factor, but our credibility as well. Id like to thank Senators Cruz, Kirk, and Rubio for joining me in this important effort. I have been fighting this issue ever since 2011 and will continue to fight any effort to undermine this law. Ill continue to push to leverage U.S. contributions at the UN to win much needed and fundamental reforms at that broken system. NOTE: In 2011, the United Nations Education, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) voted to admit the non-existent State of Palestine to its membership, triggering a provision of P.L. 101-246 that prohibits U.S. contributions. Since the law was triggered, the Obama administration has been actively seeking waiver authority to ignore standing U.S. law and continue sending U.S. taxpayer dollars to UNESCO but has been unsuccessful due to Congressional action. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z |