Steve King on Foreign Policy Republican Representative (IA-5)

Voted NO on deterring foreign arms transfers to China.

• Denial of participation in cooperative research and development
• Prohibition of ownership and control of any business registered as a manufacturer or exporter of defense articles or services
• Removal of all licenses relative to dual-use goods or technology
• Prohibition of participation of any foreign military sales

Voted YES on reforming the UN by restricting US funding.

• Requires the creation of an Independent Oversight Board with the authority to evaluate all operations of the UN
• Instructs the UN to implement procedures to protect whistle-blowers, individuals who reveal wrongdoings within an organization to the public or to those in positions of authority
• Obliges the creation of a uniform code of conduct for all UN officials
• Requires the shifting of the funding mechanisms of certain organizational programs from the regular assessed UN budget to voluntarily funded programs
• Compels the US President to influence the Secretary General of the UN to waive diplomatic immunity for UN officials under investigation or charged with serious criminal offences
• Creates a certification of UN cooperation to provide documentary evidence to member states investigating the Oil-for-Food program

Withdraw from UNESCO.

EXCERPTS OF RESOLUTION:

• Whereas President Ronald Reagan, citing gross financial mismanagement, anti-American bias, and anti-freedom policies, withdrew the US from membership in the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in 1984;
• Whereas the US rejoined UNESCO in 2003;
• Whereas the US has only a single vote in UNESCO despite being assessed 25% of the UNESCO budget;
• Whereas UNESCO membership may force unconstitutional restraints on US freedom of the press;
• Whereas UNESCO effectively bypasses congressional authority to manage Federal lands by establishing management policies;
• Whereas UNESCO membership would undermine US sovereignty by forcing US adherence to the UN global policy on bioethics; and
• Whereas UNESCO seeks to levy an unconstitutional 'global tax' on Internet use on US citizens

Now, therefore, be it Resolved by the House of Representatives, That it is the sense of Congress that--
1. the United States should formally withdraw from UNESCO; and
2. any funds appropriated towards the US contribution to UNESCO, but not yet transferred to UNESCO, should be returned to the Treasury.

LEGISLATIVE OUTCOME:Referred to House Committee on International Relations; never came to a vote.