Seventh District Lawmaker Says UNESCO Must Face Consequence for Defying U.S. Law

WASHINGTON – Congressman Leonard Lance (NJ-07) today joined a bipartisan group of lawmakers in urging Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to enforce current law prohibiting U.S. financial contributions to the United Nations or any associated organization that awards the Palestinian Authority (PA) the same standing as a full member state.  On October 31, 2011, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) voted to grant full membership status to the Palestinian Authority (PA). 

In a letter to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Lance and his colleagues wrote that failure to enforce current law would embolden other organizations to take similar votes and send a message to our allies – like Israel – that America cannot be counted on to keep its word. 

Excerpts of Lance’s letter to Secretary Clinton follow:

“We write to affirm our strong support for the current United States law which prohibits U.S. contributions to the United Nations or any associated organization that awards the Palestinian Authority the same standing as full member states.

“The only recourse for the United States is to stand by existing law and defund the organization.  Anything short of this would send an unfortunate message to other international organizations considering similar actions that the U.S. is not to be taken seriously.  It would likewise send the troubling message to Israel and other allies that the U.S. is unreliable. I appreciate the willingness expressed publicly in recent days by the Department of State to support existing law and encourage you to maintain this policy going forward.”

Click here to read the full text of the letter.

In Congress, the Seventh District lawmaker serves as a co-chair of the House Republican Israeli Caucus.  

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