S. 1313: United Nations Transparency, Accountability, and Reform Act of 2013

113th Congress · introduced 2013-07-17 · International Affairs · Latest: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2013-07-17 · official record
Who proposed it: Sen. Rubio, Marco [R-FL] · what a sponsor is
What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
Where it stands now: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

United Nations Transparency, Accountability, and Reform Act of 2013

Plain summary

United Nations Transparency, Accountability, and Reform Act of 2013 - Requires the President's annual congressional budget justification to include a detailed itemized request in support of the U.S. contribution to the regular budget of the United Nations (U.N.). Directs the President to use U.S. influence at the U.N. on a variety of issues, including: (1) shifting the funding mechanism for the regular budget of the U.N. from an assessed to a voluntary basis, (2) terrorism, (3) anti-Semitism, (4) maintaining U.S. influence in the U.N. Security Council, and (5) human rights violators. Withholds from U.S. contributions to the regular U.N. budget amounts that are proportional to the percentage of such budget expended for a U.N. human rights treaty monitoring body or committee that was established by a convention or an international covenant to which the United States is not party. Establishes the Office of the United States Inspector General for Contributions to the United Nations System. Sets forth requirements for the Office with respect to audits and investigations of U.S. contributions to the U.N. and such contributions' use by U.N. entities. Prohibits the obligation or expenditure of a U.S. contribution to any U.N. entity unless it has provided the Office with a transparency certification and is in compliance with it. Withholds U.S. contributions from any U.N. entity that recognizes a Palestinian state or grants full membership to the Palestinian observer mission at the U.N., the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), the Palestinian Authority (PA), or any other Palestinian administrative organization or governing entity before the achievement of a final peace agreement with Israel. Declares that until the Secretary makes a specified certification to Congress: (1) the Secretary shall withhold from a U.S. contribution to a regular U.N. budget an amount equal to the amount that would be allocated for the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC), (2) the Secretary shall not make a voluntary contribution to UNHRC, and (3) the United States shall not run for a UNHRC seat. Withholds from the U.S. contribution to the regular U.N. budget an amount equal to the percentage of such contribution that would be or has been expended by the United Nations pursuant to: (1) the Goldstone Report, and (2) the Durban process. Prohibits the use of funds for U.S. participation in any further part of the Durban process. Withholds U.S. contributions to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) or to any successor or related entity unless the Secretary makes specified certifications to Congress. Prohibits any U.S. contribution to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) from being used to support Technical Cooperation program assistance to any country, including North Korea, that: (1) has repeatedly supported acts of international terrorism; or (2) is in breach of, or under investigation for breach of, obligations regarding its safeguards agreement with the IAEA, the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, or any relevant Security Council resolution. Sets forth U.S. policy regarding reform of U.N. peacekeeping operations. Directs the President to use U.S. influence at the U.N. to oppose the creation of new, or expansion of existing, U.N. peacekeeping operations until the Secretary certifies to Congress that specified peacekeeping reforms have been adopted by the U.N. Department of Peacekeeping Operations or the General Assembly. Sets forth reporting requirements regarding: (1) U.N. reform, (2) U.S. contributions to the United Nations, and (3) U.N. voting practices.

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

What a vote does

A “Yea” vote

If it passes both chambers and is signed, it becomes law.

A “Nay” vote

If it is not passed, current law stays as it is.

PSI Sci description of the legislative step (not an opinion).

What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

United Nations Transparency, Accountability, and Reform Act of 2013

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate)

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The strongest published arguments

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Alternatives

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How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Sen. Rubio, Marco [R-FL] · 4 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

John Cornyn (R-TX), James E. Risch (R-ID)

No linked floor roll calls in our collected records yet. This does not mean the bill has never had a vote. Check the official bill history.

Words on this page, explained (3)

Obligation: A binding promise by a government agency to pay money, for example by signing a contract or awarding a grant. Spending data such as USAspending.gov counts money when it is obligated, which can be before it is actually paid out.
Resolution: A formal statement or decision by a legislative body. Simple resolutions often only express an opinion or set rules for one chamber; they do not become law.
Securities: Financial investments that can be bought and sold, such as stocks and bonds.

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate)
Congress.gov
Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-113s1313.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/113/s>

Record fed-us-cong113-s1313 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong113 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong113