Replies

H.Con.Res. 4 expresses the sense of Congress that the United States should not rejoin the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).

The whereas clauses of the legislation explains why:

1. Whereas President Ronald Reagan withdrew the United States from membership in UNESCO in 1984, citing gross financial mismanagement, anti-American bias, and anti-freedom policies;

2. Whereas in 2001 President George Bush supported an amendment to H.R. 1646 that would have stricken language of congressional support for a renewal of United States membership in UNESCO;

3. Whereas the United States has a single vote in UNESCO despite being assessed 25 percent of the UNESCO budget and having promised to contribute $60,000,000 upon rejoining the organization;

4. Whereas the current UNESCO director's belated attempts at cost cutting were so resisted by the organization that his own staff went on a hunger strike;

5. Whereas UNESCO membership may force unconstitutional restraints on United States freedom of the press;

6. Whereas UNESCO, through a memorandum of agreement with the Department of State, has designated 47 United Nations biosphere reserves in the United States covering more than 70 million acres, without congressional consultation or approval;

7. Whereas UNESCO effectively bypasses congressional authority to manage Federal lands by establishing management policies without congressional consultation or approval;

8. Whereas UNESCO membership would undermine United States sovereignty by forcing United States adherence to the United Nations global policy on bioethics;

9. Whereas UNESCO seeks to levy an unconstitutional `global tax' on Internet use on United States citizens; and

10. Whereas UNESCO has a history of meddling in the education policies of its member-countries and has sought to dictate school curriculum for United States primary and secondary schools, thus undermining United States sovereignty.