# United Nations Transparency and Accountability Act of 2021

This bill is about making sure the United Nations operates fairly and that the U.S. government knows exactly where American tax dollars are going when they fund UN activities. It addresses concerns that some countries—particularly Russia and China—have been using their influence inside the UN to benefit themselves rather than serving the organization's neutral mission.

The bill creates several new requirements and positions. First, it establishes an annual reporting system where the State Department must identify which countries are engaging in what the bill calls "malign influence operations"—basically, when a country uses its power to pressure UN staff or manipulate UN decisions to serve its own national interests rather than the organization's stated goals. The bill specifically mentions examples like Russia allegedly rigging UN procurement contracts to favor Russian companies, and China blocking civil rights groups from participating in UN meetings. If the President determines a country's actions threaten U.S. interests, that country gets labeled a "malign global actor." The bill also says the U.S. should oppose putting leaders from these countries into top UN positions.

On the practical side, the bill creates a new office within the State Department focused on getting more American citizens hired by the UN and other international organizations. It requires the government to maintain a public database of job openings at these organizations and to increase funding for young professional positions by at least 50 percent. Additionally, the bill requires much more detailed public reporting about how much money the U.S. contributes to the UN and where that money actually goes—information that will be posted online in a searchable format so taxpayers can see how their contributions are being used.

United Nations Transparency and Accountability Act of 2021

McCaul, Michael T.

United Nations Transparency and Accountability Act of 2021 This bill requires various actions related to malign influence operations by other countries in the United Nations (UN), with such operations defined as coordinated actions by a UN member state to foster UN actions or attitudes that further that member state's interests in a manner inconsistent with the UN Charter. The President shall direct the U.S. Permanent Representative to the UN to vote for and promote policies to (1) oppose malign influence operations and UN employees involved in such operations, and (2) support Taiwan's membership or meaningful participation in UN entities. (Taiwan was expelled from the UN in 1971.) The Department of State shall designate a senior level official to assist in implementing such policies and fulfill other related responsibilities. The State Department shall also establish an Office of Multilateral Strategy and Personnel within the Bureau of International Organization Affairs to promote the candidacy of U.S. citizens for roles in international organizations, including the UN, and to coordinate support for non-U.S. candidates when appropriate. The State Department shall increase by at least 50% the number of U.S.-sponsored Junior Professional Officer positions in the UN. The President shall periodically review evidence and determine if any countries have engaged in malign influence operations that have threatened U.S. interests. The President must designate any such country as a malign global actor and provide an explanation to Congress for why the designation was made.