WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jim Risch (R-Idaho), chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, today gave the following opening remarks at a full committee nomination hearing. Witnesses included The Honorable Elise Stefanik to be United States ambassador to the United Nations.
Chairman Risch gave the following remarks:
“Representative Stefanik, welcome to our committee. We look forward to hearing from you.
“There is great difficulty at the United Nations today, and I am confident President Trump’s nominee can help bring much needed change. The vast majority of the American people do not recognize the deterioration that has happened at the United Nations and how it has strayed from its original purposes. There is great difficulty there and we need significant change.
“As threats from China, Russia, North Korea, and Iran continue to grow – Representative Stefanik, your position will be at the heart of the U.S. efforts to stand up to the authoritarian axis that seeks to undermine the United States at every turn and to ensure our partners and allies are also doing their part. I know you are up to the task.
“The UN was founded to be a force for peace and stability in the world, an admiral goal – it’s not working. Since its founding, the United States has helped shape the UN and has supported it in lots of dollars and in spirit. But today, the United States is the largest funder of the UN system. We pay 22% of the regular budget and 25% of the peacekeeping budget. And what have the American people gotten from these investments? Chaos, complete dysfunction at the UN, and a warped sense of right and wrong.
“In place of needed reform, the U.S. is constantly asked to give more to the UN, but over time the organization has drifted farther away from American values, putting American national security in jeopardy.
“Representative Stefanik, I know that President Trump has nominated you to the UN because he knows you’re not afraid to stand up for the American people, ensure their taxpayer dollars are truly putting America first, and push back against the real problems that plague the United Nations.
“As the UN has expanded its mission, the amount of conflict, waste, fraud, and abuse has grown. In the UN Security Council, which is charged with maintaining international peace and security, consensus andpartnership on the many issues the world faces is a fantasy.
“Critical issues that demand the council’s attention fall to the wayside—accountability for Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine, China’s grotesque human rights abuses, genocide in Sudan, regime change in Syria – all go unaddressed by what is supposed to be the leading international organization to resolve these conflicts. As the authoritarian axis grows and competes against democratic nations, the UN will descend back into the paralysis that marked the Cold War, if it continues its course, which it has no indication it is changing.
“To make matters worse, our adversaries have weaponized the UN against Americans and democratic interests.
“Prior to the fall of Assad, Putin used the Security Council to block any action to hold the regime accountable for its crimes against humanity. China has used its malign influence to block attempts to discuss the Chinese government-sponsored genocide against the Uyghurs, and they have blocked our ally Taiwan from fully participating in the UN. China also manipulates the UN personnel system, which we all know. And they’ve used it to install Chinese diplomats into the UN bureaucracy that only serve China’s goals and interests.
“There is a deep anti-Israeli bias within the UN that has only grown stronger since Hamas’ horrendous, unprovoked attack against Israel on October 7.
“This sentiment was spearheaded by the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), which had numerous employees participate in the October 7 terrorist attacks and allows its schools and facilities to be used by Hamas. Remember these are U.S. tax dollars that partially help fund UNRWA. For years I have led my colleagues on legislation to end U.S. contributions to this antisemitic organization, which openly employs terrorists. UNRWA must go.
“What I’ve just described is not what the American people want out of their taxpayer dollars. Our contributions should serve America’s interests first, and I know you will bring that message to the UN system, loud and clear.
“Representative Stefanik, I believe it is reasonable to evaluate every UN agency to determine if what they are doing is directly beneficial to America and hold them to account until the answer is a resounding yes. Anything less should not be tolerated and if these agencies cannot be changed then at this point the U.S. should seriously examine if further contributions and indeed participation in the UN is even beneficial to the American people.
“I am interested to hear your plans for change at the UN. And I look forward to seeing the tremendous work I know you will do for our country and to make the world a safer place for future generations.”
“Thank you. Senator Shaheen.”
These remarks have been lightly edited for clarity. Witness testimony is available on foreign.senate.gov.
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