UN & Foreign Aid Reform

Mica on the United Nations, Foreign Aid Reform and Supporting Israel

Foreign Aid:

The time to eliminate many of our foreign aid programs is overdue.  It is hard for me to understand why we lavish money on foreign countries when the United States continues to work to improve our economy, face recent extraordinary deficit spending and our ever growing large national debt.

I strongly believe that it is time for us to reexamine our entire approach to foreign aid. In my view, we have very limited resources and we should be spending our funds on promoting business, commerce and trade programs that directly benefit job growth here in the United States. At a time when we are working to create jobs for American working families and facing unprecedented Federal spending here at home, American taxpayers should not have to shoulder the responsibility of solving the world's problems alone.  Foreign aid can be useful, but we cannot keep playing the rich uncle for every country seeking a handout.

United Nations:

I share many of my constituent’s concerns and frustrations regarding U.S. involvement in United Nations.  It is of benefit for everyone in the international community to work toward common and shared goals, such as fighting terrorism and protecting global stability. However, the U.N. relies too heavily on American resources and too often fails to take into account our concerns in that organization’s actions.  Through legislation passed in the 106th Congress, which I did support, we were able to reduce the amount of dues to the United Nations regular budget from 25% to 22%. Although this is a step in the right direction, the United States still bears a disproportionate amount of the financial burden. Please know I will continue to work in Congress to restructure our relationship with the U.N. to right these inadequacies while safeguarding U.S. interests and sovereignty.

U.S. Support of Israel:

Israel has been a longtime ally to the U.S. and a continued victim of international terror.   We have all seen the terrible loss of life and destruction of property, and having personally visited the region, it I took an early and vocal stance that Israel should not be forced to retreat to its 1967 border to further bring along the peace process.  To expect Israel to provide concessions to those that desire its destruction is not only reckless, but dangerous for the region’s stability.      

After continuous rocket terrorist attacks and the slaughter of their youths, Israel has taken strong action. The most recent conflict in Gaza, which has now included a ground offensive to combat Hamas infrastructure in the West Bank, demonstrates that Israel will respond to aggression even after exercising constraint. Because the Palestinian Authority has teamed up with a known terrorist organization, it is vital that the United States stand strong with our closest Middle East ally. While this Administration and Secretary of State John Kerry waffle in support of Israel, my voice in support of Israel will not be silenced.

What good is an ally or friend who remains unattached when their security is attacked? Unfortunately, President Obama has repeatedly undermined Israel. From the President’s first stance I have taken an early and vocal stance against his view that Israel should retreat to its 1967 border to further bring along the peace process. It is unreasonable to expect Israel to provide concessions to those that desire its destruction. In fact, it would not only be reckless, but dangerous for the region’s stability.          

As an American ally, Israel continues to back the United States at the United Nations and other international bodies. For this and many other reasons, I remain a strong proponent of military aid to Israel which helps ensure the integrity of Israel’s defense forces and allows that nation to defend its citizens.

In the past I voted for missile defense and foreign military and security assistance and believe it is important that Congress does so again later this year. Any attempts to undermine our support are unacceptable at a time when Iran has ramped up its nuclear weapons program and which the most recent events in Gaza. It is important that you and others reinforce this point with other members of Congress in the upcoming months. We have all seen on TV the terrible loss of life and destruction of property, and having personally visited the region, it saddens me to see such needless violence. But this is not the time to turn our back on Israel or deny it support to defend itself.

During the current Congress, I have cosponsored legislation that has not only condemned and penalized Iran for its nuclear weapons program, but also strengthens and solidifies our nation’s unwavering support for our democratic ally in the Middle East.  I have cosponsored legislation expressing the sense of the House of Representatives regarding the importance of preventing the Government of Iran from acquiring  nuclear weapon capabilities (House Resolution 568), expressing the support for Israel’s right to defend itself against such aggression (House Resolution 630) and the United States-Israel Enhanced Security Cooperation Act (House Bill 4133).  These legislative measures will help ensure that any and all means necessary can be taken to prevent Iran from acquiring weapons of mass destruction which can be used against our friends and neighbors in the region.  In addition, I am also a cosponsor of House Bill 890, the Justice for Holocaust Survivors Act.