Originally published on the CGS blog on June 19, 2009.
Recently The 2009 Supplemental Appropriations Bill was passed by both chambers of Congress. This bill will repay the U.S.’s debt to the United Nations which has accumulated since 1999 and appropriates $906 million for peacekeeping operations. This bill is an important demonstration of President Obama’s commitment to showing U.S. leadership through diplomacy as well as his commitment to engaging effectively with the United Nations.
The actual amount of money appropriated from the bill to peacekeeping represents 1% of the whole, which demonstrates how relatively little it costs the US to maintain it’s commitment to UN peacekeeping.
Citizens for Global Solutions applauds not only the United States paying back this debt but also many other sections of the bill. These include money given for international food, refugees and disaster assistance as well as prevention of the flu-pandemic, nuclear non-proliferation and an expansion of credit lines to the International Monetary Fund. All of these things will increase the U.S. involvement in the world and provide much needed assistance to other countries.
Link to the Press Release.
