Re: The UN. I get this crap in the mail today...Smoke is spewing from my ears and my eyes are rolling backward...

http://foreignaffairs.house.gov/press_display.asp?id=620

Dear may,

Great news! This week, the House of Representatives took a significant step forward in strengthening our relationship with the UN.

By passing the Foreign Relations Authorization Act (HR 2410), developed by Chairman Howard Berman, the House Foreign Affairs Committee is authorizing full payment of all debt the U.S. has accumulated at the United Nations since 1999.

This bill, which your repeated demands that the U.S. meet its obligations to the UN helped support, demonstrates Congressional commitment to the UN and ushers in a new era of American engagement through diplomacy and multilateral institutions.

Besides addressing U.S. debts to the UN, this comprehensive legislation would:

• Support the U.S. payment of UN dues on time (or at least not 9 months late!); lift the arbitrary legislative cap on peacekeeping contributions; and meet its ongoing financial commitments to the UN and other important international organizations.
  
  
• Maintain robust support for the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR); build training capacity to support rapid deployment of UN peacekeepers; and allow the U.S. to join other nations in helping make critically needed helicopters available for UN authorized peacekeeping missions.
  
  
• Authorize critical resources for the State Department and USAID to help prevent, mitigate, and peacefully resolve crises; and create new incentives for Foreign Service Officers to serve in posts focusing on multilateral diplomacy and human rights.

But while this is an important victory, more work lies ahead.

The Senate Foreign Relations Committee must craft and pass its own bill before any legislation can be sent to the President. To make sure your voices are being heard, the Better World Campaign has met with the Committee to emphasize the need to include UN language in its version of the Foreign Relations Authorization bill.

Of course, it will take some time to draft this bill, but we wanted to keep you in the loop. In the meantime, watch your inbox -- your help may be needed again to ensure support for UN provisions within the Senate version of the bill.

So stay tuned, and thank you for your help in strengthening U.S.-UN relations!

Best,

Your friends at Better World Campaign
http://www.BetterWorldCampaign.org/

P.S. Read more about the Foreign Relations Authorization Act (HR 2410).