SLC Times

Senator Mike Lee from Utah has put forward a new piece of legislation, the Disengaging Entirely from the United Nations Debacle (DEFUND) Act. This proposal aims to remove the United States entirely from the United Nations (UN), citing concerns over national sovereignty and fiscal responsibility. The bill is co-sponsored by Senators Marsha Blackburn and Rick Scott. In the House of Representatives, a companion bill is being introduced by Chairman Mike Rogers and Representative Chip Roy.

Senator Lee expressed his discontent with current US involvement in the UN: "No more blank checks for the United Nations. Americans' hard-earned dollars have been funneled into initiatives that fly in the face of our values, enabling tyrants, betraying allies, and spreading bigotry," he stated. He emphasized that future engagements with the UN should be on terms favorable to the US.

Senator Blackburn criticized the UN for undermining US security and interests: “The United Nations has betrayed our trust time and time again, and we cannot continue to be their cash cow." She also accused the organization of placating groups like Hamas and countries such as China.

Representative Chip Roy highlighted several grievances against the UN: “From UNRWA actively protecting Hamas...to China being elected to the 'Human Rights Council,'" he noted. Roy stressed that American taxpayer money should not support an organization he perceives as misaligned with US values.

The DEFUND Act proposes significant measures including repealing acts binding the US to the UN, stopping financial contributions, prohibiting participation in peacekeeping operations, revoking diplomatic immunity for UN officials in America, withdrawing from related organizations like WHO, and setting conditions for any future engagement with Senate approval.

This legislative move comes after years of perceived bureaucratic growth within the UN at what proponents see as a financial burden on American taxpayers. Senator Lee's initiative reflects a desire to prioritize fiscal responsibility and self-governance principles.