Romney, Colleagues Introduce Legislation to Halt U.S. Funding to UN if Palestinian Authority Receives More Privileges

WASHINGTON—U.S. Senator Mitt Romney (R-UT), member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee (SFRC), joined Senator Jim Risch (R-ID), SFRC Ranking Member, and 23 Senate colleagues in introducing the No Official Palestine Entry (NOPE) Act, legislation to update existing law to ensure U.S. assistance does not go to entities that give additional rights and privileges to the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO).

“The U.S. should not lend credibility to an organization that actively promotes and rewards terrorism. By granting any sort of status at the UN to the Palestine Liberation Organization, we would be doing just that,” said Senator Romney. “Our legislation would cut off U.S. taxpayer funding to the UN if it gives additional rights and privileges to the Palestinian Authority and the PLO.”

“The Palestinian Authority and the Palestine Liberation Organization are deeply flawed, plagued by corruption, and incite terrorism through the egregious ‘pay for slay’ program. Giving the PLO a voice at the United Nations is preposterous and fails to account for the PLO’s role in inspiring generations of Palestinians to support acts of terror,” said Ranking Member Risch. “This legislation will ensure taxpayer dollars are not used to give the PLO credibility.”

In addition to Romney and Risch, the NOPE Act is cosponsored by Senators John Barrasso (R-WY), Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Bill Cassidy (R-LA), Mike Lee (R-UT), Tom Cotton (R-AR), John Cornyn (R-TX), Steve Daines (R-MT), Pete Ricketts (R-NE), Mike Crapo (R-ID), Bill Hagerty (R-TN), Ted Cruz (R-TX), Deb Fischer (R-NE), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS), Todd Young (R-IN), John Hoeven (R-ND), Rick Scott (R-FL), Cynthia Lummis (R-WY), Thom Tillis (R-NC), Marco Rubio (R-FL), Tommy Tuberville (R-AL), Joni Ernst (R-IA), Markwayne Mullin (R-OK), and John Thune (R-SD).

Full text of the legislation can be found here.

Background:

On Friday, May 10th, the Palestinian Authority will pursue a vote in the United Nations (UN) General Assembly to enhance its current status at the UN. This enhanced status may fall short of full membership, but it would include numerous rights and privileges that previously have only been granted to full members.

Current U.S. law prohibits U.S. funding to organizations, such as the UN, which give the PLO full membership or standing as a member state. The NOPE Act updates the existing funding prohibition to organizations that offer the PLO “any status, rights, or privileges beyond observer status.”