“This is not a mere continuation of funding.  The Omnibus Appropriations bill that the House is expected to vote on tomorrow puts the taxpayer on the hook for unnecessary funding increases at a time when the American economy is under severe strain.  It does not provide adequate oversight to address ongoing problems concerning the misappropriation of our aid and contributions, or worse, the diversion of U.S. funds to violent extremist organizations. 

“Is providing even more money to corrupt, anti-American, and anti-Semitic UN agencies the best use of taxpayer funds?  Is it wise to send hard-earned American dollars to the International Atomic Energy Agency to provide nuclear assistance to Iran and Syria?  Should we be asking our citizens to pony up even more than the UN itself asks of us for peacekeeping activities?

“As the bill increases funding for problematic agencies and programs, reports indicate the U.S. is planning to commit nearly $1 billion in aid to the Palestinians.  Yet, the bill cuts funding for resettling refugees in Israel and slashes counter-narcotics programs in the Western Hemisphere. 

“The threat from drug cartels operating on the U.S.-Mexico border is intensifying and other free democratic allies in the region are coming under increasing attack.  Yet, through this bill, we are shamefully turning our back on our friends and, by doing so, on our own security interests.”

Note: Ros-Lehtinen is the author of the United Nations Transparency, Accountability and Reform Act (H.R. 557), which conditions U.S. aid to UN agencies on steps taken to prevent their resources from supporting foreign extremist organizations, as well as on the implementation of concrete reforms to root out ongoing fraud, corruption, and abuse at the UN.  She is also the author of the Foreign Assistance Partner Vetting Act of 2009 (HR 1062), which establishes procedures to prevent U.S. taxpayer dollars from benefiting foreign extremist organizations. 

####