The 112th Congress is Coming to Town: What Does It Mean for the Future of US Relations With International Institutions?

After Election Day 2010, one frequently repeated analysis was that this election was not about foreign policy.  Voters’ minds were focused mostly on domestic issues such as the economy and unemployment, and weren’t giving much thought to America’s relations with the world outside our borders.  However, the dramatic shift in power in Washington, DC means that some new members coming to Congress, and some current members taking on new roles, may have a profound impact on the United States’ engagement with the United Nations, International Criminal Court (ICC), and other multilateral organizations which Citizens for Global Solutions strongly supports.

The 112^th Congress which takes office in January will include a number of new members in both the Senate and House of Representatives who are skeptical about U.S. engagement with international institutions.  This may have an impact on U.S. relations with global bodies such as the United Nations.  Specifically, incoming members of Congress such as Senator-Elect Rand Paul (R-KY) have been outspoken in their opposition to U.S. participation in the U.N. Sen.-Elect Paul has called for US to “withdraw from and stop funding U.N. programs that undermine legitimate U.S. interests and harm the cause of freedom around the world.”

In the House of Representatives, Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL) will ascend to the position of chair of the House Foreign Affairs Committee.  Rep. Ros-Lehtinen has previously introduced a bill that would eliminate 50% of US contributions to UN, ends most voluntary UN contributions, and prohibits US support for peacekeeping missions.  In addition, she has sponsored anti-ICC legislation.

However, CGS also sees opportunity in the new Congress to work with several potential new champions of U.S. engagement with international organizations.  Incoming freshman senators Chris Coons (D-DE) and Mark Kirk (R-IL) have already displayed a keen understanding of the need for America to keep engaging with the world beyond our shores.  We look forward to working with them to bolster U.S. support for international institutions including the U.N. and the ICC.