Better World Campaign

Tell Congress to Fully Fund the UN in FY 2009

The President recently proposed a budget request for next year that would dramatically underfund the United Nations. Despite the fact that the U.S. is asking the UN to take on a growing number of peacekeeping missions—saving American resources and lives—the President has shortchanged UN peacekeeping by $600 million.

The Better World Campaign is calling on Americans to voice their support for full funding for the United Nations before Congress makes its final decisions. Make sure your Representatives know that our UN dues are a commitment we must honor and that UN peacekeeping is a wise investment. Support for the UN’s peacekeeping operations ensures that Americans don’t have to pay all the bills or take all the risks in securing peace around the world. We simply cannot afford to go it alone.

ACT NOW: Ask Congress to support full UN funding today!

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February 10, 2010

Subject:
Fully Fund the UN in FY 2009

Dear Member of Congress,

As you begin the important work of determining U.S. government spending for Fiscal Year 2009, I am writing to urge you to support adequate funding to meet our treaty obligations to the United Nations and other international organizations.  The Administration’s budget request would increase the U.S. debt to UN peacekeeping by another $600 million, putting us more than $2 billion in arrears to the UN.

This $600 million shortfall would jeopardize UN peacekeeping operations and dramatically increase the U.S. debt to the United Nations.  The United States is already more than $1.5 billion behind in honoring its commitments to the UN.   When we fail to abide by our commitments or to pay our share late, we set a bad example to other nations and undermine our voice and credibility at the UN.

The stated goal of the Administration’s proposed budget is to help “end conflicts, restore peace, and strengthen regional stability.”  Shortchanging critical UN peacekeeping missions by $600 million would impede progress toward these goals and would also hinder other key U.S. interests like fighting terrorism, preventing the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, and promoting democracy around the world.  We cannot afford to go it alone in these endeavors, so we must ensure that we meet our international obligations and provide the necessary resources to deal with the increasingly complex and dangerous challenges of today’s world.

Full payment of dues to the UN is a necessary step in both advancing our national interests and abiding by our financial and treaty obligations.  The investment we make in peacekeeping assures that the U.S. does not have to assume all the costs or take all the risks in providing for international security.

Great nations pay their bills, and, as a great nation, the U.S. must honor its commitments and fully fund the United Nations.

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