UNESCO Recognizes Palestine, Loses US Funding

Palestine today gained membership in UNESCO, a move that will likely bolster the Palestinian Authority’s bid for full membership in the United Nations but also put an end to American funding of the organization. 

Current American law calls for the defunding of any UN entity that grants Palestinians membership. 

Members of the agency, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, voted to admit Palestine despite attempts by the Obama administration to convince the international community to oppose it. The vote was 107 members in favor, 14 against and 52 abstentions

 “We sincerely regret that the strenuous and well-intentioned efforts of many delegations to avoid this result fell short” David Killion US Ambassador to UNESCO said after the vote.

State Department spokesperson Victoria Nuland told reporters today the US would withhold 60 million dollars from UNESCO in 2011.

Palestinian admission to UNESCO comes weeks after the House Foreign Affairs Committee approved a bill to drastically change the way the US funds the United Nations and its agencies. 

Committee Chairman and bill sponsor Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL), one of Israel’s strongest supporters in Congress, has repeatedly called on President Obama to counter Palestinian efforts at the United Nations by withholding funding. 

“Today’s reckless action by UNESCO is anti-Israel and anti-peace. It rewards the Palestinian leadership’s dangerous scheme to bypass negotiations with Israel and seek recognition of a self-declared ‘Palestinian state,’ and takes us further from peace in the Middle East.This is only the beginning. The Palestinians will now seek full membership in other UN bodies.” Ros Lehtinen said in a statement released earlier today.

“Existing U.S. law mandates that we cut off funding to any UN body that approves such a request. The Administration must stop trying to find ways not to fully implement this law, and instead cut off funding to UNESCO immediately. And Congress must pass pending UN reform legislation to cut off funding to any UN entity that grants any upgraded status to ‘Palestine.’ “ 

 Palestine’s request for full membership at the United Nations was presented to Secretary General Ban Ki Moon during the UN General Assembly in September and is in the process of being reviewed by a special UN Security Council committee. The committee is expected to report back to Council members on November 11th.

UN Funding Targeted in Vote by Congressional Committee

The House Foreign Affairs Committee today voted for a bill to overhaul  American funding to the United Nations and to open the door to cuts of up to 50 % in US dues to the world body.

The vote broke along party lines, with 23 Republicans in favor and 15 Democrats against. 

It is unclear when the bill would be put forward to the House, but Secretary of State Clinton has already indicated she would recommend President Obama veto it.

 Under the proposed bill, the US would fund UN programs and operations on a case by case voluntary basis rather than the current dues based system. 

Committee Chairman Ileana Ros Lehtinen argued that only a move to a voluntary contributions system could lead to significant reform and improvement of the United Nations system. Lehtinen says the new funding mechanisms would increase US leverage on UN programs and policies that too often work against the interests America and its ally Israel.

The bill would withhold half of the US contribution to the United Nations if the organization failed to fund 80% percent of its budget through voluntary contributions over the next two years. 

Democratic opponents of the bill said it sets up the UN for failure by creating unattainable goals, hoping to force the US to withdraw from the international organization.

“This so-called reform legislation is being marketed as a way to combat efforts for by the Palestinians to gain statehood at the UN and put a stop to some of the repugnant anti-Israel practices at the world body. But that’s really false advertising.” said Howard Berman (D-CA) ranking Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee “The true purpose of the bill is to end US participation in the UN and in the process deal a fatal financial blow to the world body.”

Poll: Voters, Congress at Odds Over UN Funding

Over 80 percent of American voters want their government to continue being actively engaged in affairs at the United Nations, says a new poll conducted for the UN Foundation, a group dedicated to promoting the UN’s role and activities.

The public opinion study, conducted by Public Opinion Strategies and Hart Research Associates, comes as the House Foreign Affairs Committee is scheduled to hold Thursday a markup hearing on the “United Nations Transparency, Accountability and Reform Act” put forward by Committee chairman Ileana Ros -Lehtinen (R- FL).

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton reportedly sent lawmakers on Capitol Hill a letter today arguing that bill would have a negative impact on American interests and that she would recommend President Obama veto the measure. 

Peter Yeo director of the UN Foundation, says the study clearly demonstrates that Congress is out of touch with the American electorate. 

“Americans oppose withholding American dues from the UN and Americans also want to remain very engaged with the UN because they recognize the important ways the UN serves American interests.” 

The proposed bill would change the manner in which the US funds the UN’s various agencies and significantly cut American financial support to the world body. 

UN member states each now pay dues that represent a percentage of the organizations total budget. US dues represents approximately 22% of the UN budget, making it the highest contributing member state ahead of Japan (16%).  

The new bill would forgo the dues system and allow the US to disburse funds to the United Nations on a case by case voluntary basis. 

Although US voter support for the UN tends to be drawn across party lines, the poll found that the majority of Republicans, Democrats and Independents were in favor of the US paying its dues on time. 

The poll was conducted by a bipartisan polling team among 900 registered voter nationwide between October 1-4. 

Bipartisan Legislation Aimed At Ending Medicare Fraud

By Sarah Mamula - Talk Radio News Service

At Tuesday's House Ways and Means Committee hearing, new legislation aimed at resolving the estimated $60 billion of annual Medicare fraud was introduced by Rep. Ron Klein (D-Fla.) and Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-Fla.). The Medicare Fraud Enforcement and Prevention Act would double criminal penalties to a maximum ten year prison sentence and up to $50,000 in fines.

“Criminals have decided that building a Medicare fraud scam is far safer than dealing in crack or dealing in stolen cars, and it’s far more lucrative,” said Lewis Morris, Chief Counsel to the U.S Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). “Right now, it’s a good bet that you can take millions from us, and chances are, you’re not going to get caught.”

Klein criticized the “pay-and-chase” philosophy currently in place that gives room for criminals to succeed in obtaining money before law enforcement officials can make an arrest.

“One of the biggest flaws in our system is the unnecessary periods of time in which a potentially fraudulent claim is submitted, and when the proper law enforcement agency is alerted,” the Florida Democrat said.

If passed, Klein said new technology will be created and used to implement more strict pre-screening policies and a program using biometric measures will be piloted to “ensure that Medicare beneficiaries are physically present to receive services.”

“Our Medicare Fraud Enforcement and Prevention Act will provide badly needed reform to the Medicare system,” said Ros-Lehtinen. "We will soon restore our seniors' peace of mind and trust."