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Smith-Dodd Amendment Passes to Restore International
Affairs Funding in Senate Budget
April 9, 2007 -- On March 23rd the Senate unanimously approved the
Smith-Dodd Amendment to the FY08 Senate Budget Resolution. The amendment
restores a previous $2.2 billion cut to the International Affairs Budget.
+ READ MORE
Citizens for Global Solutions Helps Defeat Motion to Block Internationalizing
Anti-Proliferation Initiative
January 11, 2007 -- On January 9th, Citizens for Global Solutions
learned that Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL), the ranking Republican on the
House Foreign Affairs Committee, would offer a motion to remove an important
provision of a bill designed to implement recommendations of the 9/11
Commission.
+ READ MORE
The Future of the Military Commissions Act
November 29, 2006 -- On October 17, President Bush signed into law the
Military Commissions Act Of 2006. The law grants the president far-reaching
powers to detain persons indefinitely, without normal judicial oversight,
allows for a flexible interpretation and application of the Geneva
Conventions in U.S. interrogation practices and strips the rights of habeas
corpus from detainees classified as enemy combatants.
+ READ MORE
Bolton Confirmation Prevented...Again!
September 28, 2006 -- For the second time in less than two years, Citizens
for Global Solutions led the opposition of John Bolton’s confirmation as
U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations. Both times we believed we were
fighting the good fight, but knew it would be a difficult – if not
impossible -- task. Twice we were mistaken …but what an excellent way to get
it wrong! The Washington Post, quoting the Senate Foreign Relations
Committee spokesperson, has reported that the Bolton nomination is “dead as
far as the Senate is concerned."
+ READ MORE
Citizens for Global Solutions Urges Congress To Fully
Fund U.N. Peacekeeping, Lift Cap on U.S. Dues
On September 6th, Citizens for Global Solutions, along with a diverse
group of 18 additional organizations, urged House and Senate lawmakers
tasked with producing the final version of the FY07 Defense Department
Authorization Bill (S. 2766) to support removing a provision of law
that restricts full payment of U.S. peacekeeping dues.
+
READ MORE
+ READ THE
LETTER
Senator
Biden Introduces New Darfur Resolution
On September 7, Senator Biden [D-DE] introduced
S.Res.559, a
resolution urging immediate steps in Darfur, including the imposition of a
no-fly zone, a fully resourced and robust U.N. peacekeeping force, and a
presidential envoy to mediate negotiations between warring factions in
Sudan.
+ READ
MORE
Peace in Darfur Act of 2006’ Introduced in Senate
On August 3, Senators Smith [R-OR] and Kennedy [D-MA] introduced
S.
3801, the ‘Peace in Darfur Act of 2006’. The bill calls on the government
of Sudan to immediately allow a U.N. peacekeeping force to deploy in Darfur to
replace the African Mission in Sudan (AMIS). It also codifies existing sanctions and
calls on the president to appoint a special envoy who would be tasked with
facilitating the peace process in Darfur.
+ READ MORE Senate Foreign Relations Committee Passes UN
Convention against Corruption
On August 1st, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee unanimously passed the
UN Convention against Corruption without amendment. The Convention will now
move to the Senate floor for final consideration, where two-thirds of the
Senate must approve the treaty for ratification.
+ READ MORE Senate Resolution Calls for Special Envoy to Sudan
On July 14, 2006 Senators Lieberman (D-CT) and Bond (R-MO) introduced
legislation urging President Bush to appoint a special envoy to Sudan and
authorizing a minimum of $250,000 to support this position.
+ READ
MORE Rep. Cleaver to Congress: 'Lead By Example', Switch to
Alternative Fuel Vehicles
Representative Emanuel Cleaver (D-MO) has introduced legislation, the
Congress Leads by Example through Alt-fuel Resources (CLEAR) ACT, to require
the use of alternative fuel vehicles by Members of Congress.
+ READ
MORE
Biden Moves to Increase Spending Limit for
Peacekeeping
On June 27, 2006 Senator Joseph Biden (D-DE) sponsored an amendment that
would allow the United States to keep its commitment to the United Nations
by paying its peacekeeping dues in full.
+ READ MORE
Amendment Requiring Report on Darfur Approved by the
Senate
On June 22 the Senate approved an amendment, introduced by Senator Hillary
Clinton (D-NY), that would require the president to submit regular reports
to Congress on the progress made in implementing the Darfur Peace Agreement
(DPA).
+ READ MORE Senate Approval of Spending Bill Means New Dollars for
Peacekeeping
The US Senate has voted to pass an Emergency Supplemental spending bill
(S.4939) that will provide new funding for UN peacekeeping activities.
+ READ MORE
Biden, Lugar Call for U.S. Leadership on Climate Change
A new resolution on climate change was passed out of the Senate Foreign
Relations Committee last Tuesday, May 23rd. The bipartisan resolution, sponsored
by Senators Joe Biden (D-DE) and Dick Lugar (R-ID), calls for new American
leadership on the climate change issue, and stresses that “the United States has
the capability to lead the effort to stop global climate change.”
+ READ MORE
Lugar-Obama Bill Seeks to Secure Weapons
The Lugar-Obama Act (S. 2566) passed out of the Senate Foreign Relations
Committee last Tuesday, May 23rd. The bill, sponsored by Senators Dick Lugar
(R-IN) and Barack Obama (D-IL), would provide $25 million in funding to prevent
the proliferation of conventional weapons and $50 million to help U.S. allies
detect and interdict weapons and materials of mass destruction.
+ READ MORE
Citizens for Global Solutions Urges Congress to “Stand Firm” on Peacekeeping Appropriations
On May 23rd, Citizens for Global Solutions, along with a diverse group of
33 additional organizations, sent a letter to lawmakers tasked with producing the
final version of the FY06 Supplemental Appropriations bill (H.R. 4939)
urging them to maintain $129.8 million in funding included for U.N. peacekeeping to help
pay for a new U.N. mission to Darfur and to address the current shortfall in
U.S. contributions to U.N. peace operations.
+ READ MORE
+ READ THE LETTER
Lantos and Coleman Differ on New U.N. Council
On Tuesday, May 9th, Congressman Tom Lantos (D-CA) and Senator Norm Coleman
(R-MN) issued contrasting statements on the newly elected membership of the U.N.
Human Rights Council (HRC). Lantos hailed the Council as “an important step in
restoring the integrity of [the U.N.’s] badly discredited human rights machinery,”
while Coleman criticized it as “a perfect example of the U.N.’s failure to
reform.”
+ READ MORE
Menendez Amendment Increases
U.N. Peacekeeping Funds
On May 3, 2006, the Senate unanimously agreed to increase funding by $60
million for U.N. peacekeeping in an emergency spending bill. This amount nearly
doubles the amount requested by the president ($69.8 million) and matches the
$129.8 million level set by House lawmakers ($69.8 million + $60 million). The
additional funding is vitally important; it will help the U.N. prepare for an
anticipated peacekeeping role in Darfur, and begin to pay back the significant
deficit the U.S. has accrued in its contributions to U.N. peacekeeping ($512
million).
+ READ MORE
Over 100 Lawmakers Press for Special Envoy in Darfur
On April 13, 2006 119 members of the House of
Representatives signed a letter to Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice strongly
urging the
appointment of a special envoy to Sudan. An envoy would focus on ending the
genocide in Darfur and help preserve the fragile North-South peace agreement.
+ READ MORE
U.S. Lags
in Payments for UN Peacekeeping: Tell Your Senator!
The U.S. began the 2006
fiscal year with a shortfall of $521 million in the Contributions for
International Peacekeeping Activities (CIPA) account, which pays the U.S. share
of 17 UN peacekeeping missions. The President, however, requested only $69.8
million more for CIPA in a supplemental spending bill (H.R. 4939). Assuming the
supplemental is funded at this level, the U.S. will continue to have a $452
million debt from FY06 and earlier. If this continues, it will hinder the
effectiveness of future UN peacekeeping missions, like Darfur, and harm U.S.
foreign policy goals.
+ READ MORE
Darfur Peace and Accountability Act Passed
On April 5, 2006 the House passed the Darfur Peace and Accountability Act (H.R.
3127), a bill which imposes sanctions against individuals responsible for
genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity; authorizes U.S. assistance,
including calling for a NATO task force, to support the African Union’s mission
in Sudan; and directs the U.S. to seek a resolution within the UN Security
Council to authorize a UN mission to Sudan.
+
READ MORE
Senate Fails to Match House on Funding for UN Peacekeeping
On April 4, 2006 the Senate Appropriations Committee approved a
$106.5 billion supplemental spending bill, including $173 million to help fund
the African Union peacekeeping mission in Darfur. This level matches funding set
aside for the AU mission in the House's spending bill. The Senate has thus far
declined, however, to devote as much funding as the House for UN peacekeeping,
falling $60 million below the House level of $129.8 million.
+READ MORE
Obama Pushes for Energy Bill
On April 3, 2006 Senator Barack Obama (D-IL) criticized President
Bush’s lack of efforts to end the nation’s reliance on foreign oil, an
initiative he first announced at the State of the Union address in January, and
said that more was needed to be done to reduce greenhouse gas emission and
address worsening climate change.
+READ
MORE
Hyde Compromises on UN Reform Bill
On
March 27, 2006 Henry Hyde (R-IL), Chairman of the House International
Relations Committee, announced his willingness to compromise on controversial
legislation to force reform of the United Nations by threatening to withhold
U.S. dues and agreed to renegotiate the bill with Tom Lantos (D-CA), the ranking
Democrat on his Committee.
+READ MORE
Chairman of Foreign Relations Committee Says "Yes" to
Alternative Energy
On Monday, March 16 Senator Richard Lugar (R-IN) expressed the need for greater U.S. involvement
with alternative energy sources in a recent speech. The Senator suggested
alternatives as well as give the platform for his new energy legislation which
is expected to be introduced later this week.
+READ
MORE
U.S. Owes UN More Than $500 Million for Peacekeeping
Despite an anticipated new UN mission in Darfur, and several recent U.S.
government studies that document the efficacy of UN peacekeeping and its
importance to U.S. national security, the U.S. is currently facing a shortfall
of over $500 million in contributions to the International Peacekeeping
Activities (CIPA) account, which pays the U.S. share (27%) of 17 UN
peacekeeping missions worldwide.
+READ MORE
[PDF FILE]
Administration Requests Supplemental Funds for FY'06
On February 17, 2006 President Bush sent a $72.4 billion supplemental
appropriations package covering ‘emergency’ spending needs for the current
fiscal year. Of that total, $4.2 billion is for the State Department and
international organizations and $65.3 billion for the Department of Defense. A
second supplemental totaling $19.8 billion for Hurricane Katrina and Tsunami
Relief activities was also sent to the Hill.
+READ MORE
Analysis
of FY 2007 Budget Proposal
On February 6, 2006 President Bush sent his Fiscal Year 2007 budget proposal to
Congress. His proposal would increase International Affairs spending for the
coming fiscal year by $3.539 billion – an 11 percent increase from last year's
spending levels.
+READ
MORE
+VIEW
BUDGET TABLE [PDF FILE]
International Affairs '150' Account:
The Winners and Losers
Congress recently completed work on two Appropriations bills covering
the International Affairs budget for 2006, revealing some big losers and a few
winners in a particularly tight budget year for U.S. lawmakers.
CGS tracks the Congressional Appropriations process to ensure
that U.S. lawmakers are providing adequate resources for important foreign
policy initiatives.
+READ
MORE
Congress Passes 'Water for the Poor' Act
On November 16, 2005
the “Senator Paul Simon Water for the Poor Act” (H.R.
1973) was passed by a unanimous consent agreement in the U.S. Senate. The House of Representatives
recently considered the bipartisan bill,
which was introduced by Representatives Earl Blumenauer (D-OR) and E. Clay Shaw (R-FL),
on November 7th and passed it by a vote of 319 to 34.
+READ MORE
Funding for Nuclear 'Bunker-Busters' Gets Cut in Senate
On October 25, Senator Pete Domenici [R-NM] revealed that
funding slated for a study looking into the creation of earth-penetrating
nuclear weapons was cut from the Energy and Water Appropriations Bill
(H.R.2419). Objections from opponents of new nuclear weapons research and
concerns over the mounting budget deficit appear to have overcome Administration
pressure for the initiative.
+READ MORE
Senate Demands Clear Standards on Detainee Treatment
On October 5, Senators voted overwhelmingly to establish clearer standards
for the treatment of detainees by U.S. troops. The measure, which was introduced
by Senator John McCain (R-AZ), passed by an impressive 90-9 margin over the objections
of the Bush Administration.
+READ MORE
Water for Poor Act Passes Committee
On September 15, 2005, the House International Relations Committee
unanimously passed the “Senator Paul Simon Water for the Poor Act” (H.R.
1973). The bi-partisan bill, introduced by Representatives Earl Blumenauer (D,
OR) and E. Clay Shaw (R, FL) strengthens American commitments to increasing
access to safe water and sanitation in the developing world. It now moves to the
floor of the House for consideration by the full chamber.
+READ
MORE
President Bush Recess Appoints John Bolton
On August 1st, 2005 President Bush put politics over principles in
sidestepping the Senate and recess appointing John Bolton to the post of U.S.
Ambassador to the United Nations.
+READ
PRESS STATEMENT
Administration Makes Statement on Independent Commission
of War on Terror
On July 21, 2005, the Office of Management and Budget issued their
Statement of Administration Policy (SAP) concerning
S.1042, the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2006. The
statement enumerates a number of concerns the Administration has with the bill
including amendments “interfering with effective conduct of War on Terror.” An
amendment will be offered, by Senator Carl Levin (D, MI), to establish a
commission on detainee operations or to regulate the detention, treatment or
trial of terrorists captured in the war on terror. In their SAP, the
Administration’s made it clear that the President will veto any bill which
contains an amendment calling for such a commission.
+ READ MORE
Blumenauer and Shaw Introduce Water for Poor Act
July 5, 2005 -- On April 25, 2005, Representative Earl Blumenauer (D, OR)
and Representative E. Clay Shaw (R, FL) introduced
H.R.1973, the Water for Poor Act. The bipartisan bill strengthens American efforts to increase access to safe water and
sanitation in the developing world. A companion bill (S.492)
was introduced in the Senate by Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-TN) and Minority
Leader Harry Reid (D-NV).
+READ MORE
Lugar Introduces Bill to Monitor Progress of Achievement
of Millennium Development Goals
June 30, 2005 -- On June 27, 2005, Republican Senate Committee Chairman
Richard G. Lugar introduced
S.1315 that would allow Congress to monitor the progress of the achievement of the Millennium
Development Goals. The bill calls for the Secretary of State to report on
the progress no later than 60 days after the World Trade Organization
Ministerial meeting in Hong Kong in December of 2005.
+READ MORE
Bolton Update: Confirmation Unlikely, Recess Appointment
Looming
June 27, 2005 -- On June 20, Republican Senate Leaders failed on
their second attempt to move the nomination to a vote without this key
information. They mustered only 54 votes on their second attempt, compared to 57
votes just a month earlier. Unless the Administration changes course and hands
over the requested documents, Mr. Bolton's only clear route to the UN is an
unpopular back-door approach called a recess appointment.
+READ MORE
Senate Passes Amendment To Combat Climate Change
June 24, 2005 -- On June 23, the Senate ended nearly two weeks of debate
on
H.R. 6, a comprehensive energy bill that President Bush has made a priority
of his second term. If passed, as appears likely, H.R. 6 would mark the first
energy bill to make it through the Senate in nearly 5 years. The Senate has
focused much of its deliberations on the issue of climate change.
+READ MORE
House Narrowly Passes Hyde Bill
June 17, 2005 -- On June 17, despite opposition from the Bush
Administration, a bipartisan panel tasked with studying UN reform, UN officials,
and civil society groups, the House passed the Hyde UN Reform Act, a flawed and
reckless piece of legislation, by a vote of 221 to 184. The bill mandates
cutting U.S. dues to the UN in half unless the UN adopts 39 specific reforms
and gives no flexibility to the Secretary of State or the President.
+READ MORE
+UN REFORM GUIDE: RESOURCES AND ANALYSIS
press_room/press_releases/press_releases05/hyde_act_passed.html">
+PRESS RELEASE
Resolution Highlights Millennium Development Goals
May 26, 2005 -- Today, Representative Betty McCollum (D-MN) introduced H. Con
Res. 172, a non-binding resolution articulating Congress’ support of the United
Nations Millennium Development Goals. The resolution calls for the United States
to provide increased US leadership in aiding the international community
to reach these important goals.
+READ MORE
Bolton Update: No Vote on Senate Floor
May 27, 2005 -- On May 26, Senators voted against cutting off debate
on the nomination of John Bolton to be U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations.
Senators Joseph Biden (D-DE) and Christopher Dodd (D-CT) insisted that the vote
was meant to compel the Bush Administration to hand over documents relating to
their investigation of Bolton that they have requested on numerous occasions
since early April. The Administration has refused, offering no legal or
Constitutional explanation, saying instead that the documents are "not relevant"
to the investigation.
+READ MORE
Final Version of Supplemental Cuts Peacekeeping Funds
May 10, 2005 -- House and Senate Conferees finished work on
H.R.1268 - the FY 2005 Emergency Supplemental Act - last week,
authorizing just over $82 billion in emergency funding for military operations
in Iraq and Afghanistan, foreign assistance aid, and a host of other domestic
and international commitments.
+READ MORE
Frist Introduces
Global Health Corps Legislation
May 2, 2005 --
The Corps, which would be modeled on the Peace Corps created
in 1960 by President John F. Kennedy, would strongly serve U.S. interests.
+READ MORE
Brownback-Corzine
Amendments on Darfur Passed; Peackeeping Funds in Jeopardy
May 1, 2005 -- After weeks of negotiation, the Senate passed its version of the
Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act on April 21. The legislation included
two important amendments that address the violence in Darfur, but strips
important funding from the international peacekeeping account. With the bill now
in conference committee, the fates of the peacekeeping funds and the Darfur Accountability Act
amendment are uncertain.
+READ MORE
Bolton Update: Senators Agree Allegations are Serious
April 21, 2005 --
Tempers ran high in an April 19 meeting of the Senate Foreign Relations
Committee, as the Committee unanimously agreed to postpone a vote on the
nomination of John Bolton to serve as U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations.
Bolton's opponents have maintained that he is the wrong man for the job,
and this latest Committee session shows that many Senators take these concerns
seriously.
+READ MORE
+MORE INFO
Corzine AND Brownback Demand Accountability
March 3, 2005 --
On March 2nd, 2005 Senators Jon S. Corzine (D-NJ) and Sam Brownback (R-KS)
introduced S.495,
The
Darfur Accountability Act, marking the most determined effort taken by U.S.
lawmakers to date to end the genocide that has claimed an estimated 225,000
lives in less than two years.
+READ MORE
Roberts Impedes Investigation
March 2, 2005 --
On March 1st, 2005 Senator John Rockefeller (D-WV), ranking democrat on the
Senate Intelligence Committee, called for an investigation into accusations
of torture, abuse, and
improper
detention
by CIA officials in the treatment of terrorism suspect, the
New York Times reports.
Committee Chairman Pat Roberts (R-KS) refused to allow the matter to
proceed.
+READ MORE
Senator Kyl Undermining U.S. Global Poverty Efforts
February 21, 2005 --
Senator Jon Kyl's (R-AZ) memo, "The Truth About U.S. Foreign
Assistance," grossly misrepresents the realities of foreign aid. Kyl's memo
represents an effort to undermine America's efforts to end abject poverty and
eliminate the root causes of instability in other countries.
+READ MORE
Dodd Denounces Gonzalez
February 4, 2005 -- On February 3, 2005 Senator
Chris Dodd (D-CT) gave a speech on the floor of the U.S. Senate announcing his opposition
to the nomination of Alberto Gonzalez to be U.S. Attorney General. In
his speech, Dodd gave two reasons for his nay vote, saying of Gonzalez, “he has
endorsed the position that torture is permissible;” and, “he has suggested
that the President of the United States, acting as Commander-in-Chief, has the
right to act in violation of laws and treaties prohibiting torture and may
authorize subordinates to do the same.”
Citizens for Global Solutions shares
Senator Dodd’s concerns. Appointing Mr. Gonzalez as U.S. Attorney General, the
symbol of American justice, sends the wrong signal at the wrong
time. We should be cultivating ties with the world rather than endangering longstanding
partnerships. Mr. Gonzalez has ridiculed international law by describing the
Geneva Conventions as “obsolete” and “quaint”, and his defense of torture during
the interrogation of terrorist suspects in many ways laid the foundations for
the prisoner abuse scandal at Abu Ghraib.
Citizens for Global Solutions calls on
other Senators to follow the lead of Senator Dodd and vote against Mr.
Gonzalez’s nomination.
+
Read Senator Dodd’s Speech
+
Show Your Support: Contact the Senator
+ TAKE ACTION
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