Marco Rubio Calls for United Nations Reforms

From his perch on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., launched a bill on Wednesday to reform the United Nations (U.N.).

The U.S. should not continue funding the lions share of the U.N.s budget without, at a minimum, several key reforms to ensure greater accountability and transparency, Rubio said in a statement on Wednesday. Nearly 70 years ago, the United Nations was founded to maintain the peace after the end of World War II. While at some times throughout its history the U.N. has played an effective role in global affairs, today it is plagued by ineffective leadership, excessive bureaucracy, ethical abuses, misspending and transparency problems.

With the many global challenges we face in the 21st century including rogue regimes, failed states, terrorism, and blatant violations of human rights the U.N. has to get with the times and change, Rubio added. By bringing greater accountability and budget transparency, the U.S. will be able to ensure that American taxpayer dollars going to the U.N. are actually advancing our national interest.

Rubios bill would cap U.S. contributions to the U.N., create an inspector general position to examine U.S. funding of the U.N., withhold U.S. funding of U.N. agencies that recognized the Palestinian Authority or any U.N. organizations that condone anti-Semitism, and would mandate more assessments and updates on U.N. activity.