Sullivan Amendment Blocks Taxpayer Funding of UN Human Rights Council for Empowering State Sponsors of Terror and Other Rogue Nations
WASHINGTON—U.S. Senator Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska) today proposed an amendment to the Democrats’ reckless tax-and-spend legislation that would restrict U.S. funding from going to international organizations, such as the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC), until the Department of State certifies that no members of the organization are U.S.-designated state sponsors of terrorism and the Department of the Treasury reports on the prevalence of sanctioned entities within countries that are members of the organization.
“The United Nations Human Rights Council claims to be dedicated to freedom, liberty and human rights, but its record of allowing flagrant violators of basic rights to sit on the council and providing cover for oppressive regimes tells the real story,” Sen. Sullivan said. “America should not be legitimizing the council by serving as a member, nor should we be directing taxpayer dollars to such a disgraceful organization—or any international body that gives violent, repressive regimes a seat at the table.”
Earlier this year, the Biden administration announced that the United States will seek to rejoin the UN Human Rights Council, nearly three years after the Trump administration withdrew from the body citing political bias, and concerns about the continued membership of countries known for actively committing crimes against their own people.
Currently, at least one country designated by the Department of State as a state-sponsor of terrorism—Cuba—serves on the council alongside repressive authoritarian regimes, like the Russian Federation, the People’s Republic of China and Venezuela—governments with a track record of subsidizing or directing activities, individuals and organizations within their countries that are sanctioned by the Department of the Treasury.
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