CEI Joins Large Congressional Coalition to End United Nations Entitlement

Announcing its support of a growing coalition to rethink United Nations treaties, conferences and global taxation proposals in general and the U.S. "debt" to the United Nations in particular, the Competitive Enterprise Institute joins with over forty members of congress and several public policy groups.

"This is not about 'black helicopters', it's about red ink. It is time the U.N. stopped playing creative accounting games and leveled with the American people," said CEI Research Associate James Sheehan. "If anyone is shirking financial obligations in this situation it is the U.N., not the United States," he added.

Citing GAO figures detailing overwhelming contributions over the years in the form of military and peacekeeping operations, Congressman Roscoe Bartlett (R-MD) stated in a "Dear Colleague" letter that "After subtracting the $1.3 billion the U.N. claims we owe them from the over $4.7 billion of non-reimbursed expenditures by the United States, the result is over $3.4 billion owed to the United States."

Members of the Coalition To End the United Nations Entitlement include CEI, the American Sovereignty Action Project and Americans for Tax Reform. The groups are holding a press conference to outline details of their opposition to payment of the current outstanding debt claimed by the U.N. Congressman Bartlett and Congressman Ron Paul (R-TX) will speak as well.

The Coalition's stated purpose includes:

1. "To reveal the truth about the nature of the so-called U.S. 'debt' to the U.N. by informing the U.S. Congress and the American people about the billions of dollars worth of assistance provided to the U.N. for which U.S. Taxpayers have never been given credit or reimbursement."

2. "To urge Congressional hearings on U.N. treaties, conferences and global taxation proposals that would commit even more U.S. tax dollars to fund the world organization."

For more information, contact Greg Smith at (202) 331-1010 or gsmith@CEI.org [2].