H.R.687 - United Nations Human Rights Council Reform Act

"A BILL To require certain actions relating to the United Nations Human Rights Council, and for other purposes.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the “United Nations Human Rights Council Reform Act”.

SEC. 2. PROHIBITION ON VOLUNTARY AND ASSESSED CONTRIBUTIONS TO UNITED NATIONS COMMISSIONS OF INQUIRIES THAT RELATE TO ISRAEL.

The United States may not make any voluntary or assessed contributions to United Nations Commissions of Inquiries that relate to Israel as mandated by the United Nations Human Rights Council.

SEC. 3. ACTIONS RELATING TO UNITED NATIONS HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL.

(a) In General.—The Secretary of State shall take such actions as may be necessary to use the voice, vote, and influence of the United States in the United Nations Human Rights Council and the United Nations General Assembly to seek to—

(1) eliminate Agenda Item 7 of the Human Rights Council;
(2) eliminate secret-ballot elections for membership to the Human Rights Council; and
(3) institute baseline criteria for membership in the Human Rights Council.

(b) Report.—Not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter, the President shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees a report on the implementation of the actions described in subsection (a).

SEC. 4. CONGRESSIONAL BRIEFING RELATING TO UNITED NATIONS HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL.

Not later than 30 days before the start of each session of the United Nations Human Rights Council, the Secretary of State shall provide to the appropriate congressional committees a briefing on—

(1) the session agenda of the Human Rights Council; and
(2) reports, appointments of mandate holders of special procedures and expert mechanisms, and accreditation requests relating to the Human Rights Council.

SEC. 5. REPORT.

The Secretary of State shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees, on an annual basis, a report on—

(1) each vote related to Israel and Palestinian territories taken by the United Nations Human Rights Council in the preceding calendar year, indicating—
(A) the agenda item under which the vote was taken; and
(B) how each member state of the Human Rights Council voted; and
(2) the amount of bilateral United States foreign assistance, by account and program area, provided under the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 to each member state of the United Nations Human Rights Council in the preceding calendar year.

SEC. 6. APPROPRIATE CONGRESSIONAL COMMITTEES DEFINED.

In this Act, the term “appropriate congressional committees” means—

(1) the Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives; and
(2) the Committee on Foreign Relations and the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate."