Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 116 Part 2.djvu/608

 116 STAT. 1390 PUBLIC LAW 107-228—SEPT. 30, 2002 international organizations with the next fiscal year's appropriations, taking advantage of the fact that international organizations operate on calendar years. It also allowed the United States to reduce budgetary outlays, making the United States budget deficit appear smaller. (2) The United States, which is assessed 22 percent of the United Nations regular budget, now pays its dues at least 10 months late, and often later depending on when the relevant appropriation is enacted. (3) This practice causes the United Nations to operate throughout much of the year without a significant portion of its operating budget. By midyear, the budget is usually depleted, forcing the United Nations to borrow from its separate peacekeeping budget (the organization is prohibited from external borrowing). As a result, countries that contribute to United Nations peacekeeping missions are not reimbursed on a timely basis. (4) For years, the United States has been encouraging the United Nations and other international organizations to engage in sound, fiscally responsible budgetary practices. In fact, many of the conditions in United States law for paying nearly $1,000,000,000 in debt to the United Nations and other international organizations are aimed at this goal. But late payment of United States dues forces the United Nations and other international organizations to engage in budgetary practices that are neither sound nor responsible. (b) SENSE OF CONGRESS.— It is the sense of Congress that the United States should initiate a process to synchronize the pa5anent of its assessments to the United Nations and other international organizations over a multiyear period so that the United States can resume paying its dues to such international organizations at the beginning of each calendar year. (c) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. — (1) IN GENERAL.—In addition to amounts otherwise available for the purpose of payment of the United States assessed contributions to the United Nations and other international organizations, there are authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be necessary to carry out the policy described in subsection (b). (2) AVAILABILITY OF FUNDS. —Amounts appropriated pursuant to paragraph (1) are authorized to remain available until expended. SEC. 405. REPORTS TO CONGRESS ON UNITED NATIONS ACTIVITIES. (a) AMENDMENTS TO UNITED NATIONS PARTICIPATION ACT. — Section 4 of the United Nations Participation Act (22 U.S.C. 287b) is amended— (1) by striking subsections (b) and (c); (2) by inserting after subsection (a) the following new subsection: DeadHne. " (b) ANNUAL REPORT ON FINANCIAL CONTRIBUTIONS. — Not later than July 1 of each year, the Secretary of State shall submit a report to the designated congressional committees on the extent and disposition of all financial contributions made by the United States during the preceding year to international organizations in which the United States participates as a member.";

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