Senate votes to reduce US funding for UN peacekeeping News
Senate votes to reduce US funding for UN peacekeeping

[JURIST] The US Senate voted Wednesday to cut the current US share of funding UN peacekeeping forces, rejecting a Democratic proposal to maintain current funding for the next two years 40-57 [Senate roll call]. The amendment to a Department of State appropriations bill would reduce the US share to 25%, down from 27.1%. Supporters argue that the decrease in funding would boost US negotiating power in the current UN reform process. A funding cut would still have to be approved by the House and then negotiated between the United Nations and the US mission to the UN [official website]. The Senate is meanwhile slated to hold confirmation hearings next week on the controversial nomination [advocacy website] of former State Department official and harsh UN critic John Bolton as UN ambassador; the Bolton hearings were slated for Thursday but were postponed because of Congressional travel for the Pope John Paul II's funeral in Rome Friday. Reuters has more.