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Updated December 16, 2021
United Nations Issues: Congressional Representatives to the
U.N. General Assembly
The annual session of the United Nations (U.N.) General
cases, both parties have been represented and, when
Assembly is held at U.N. Headquarters in New York City.
possible, the Administration and Congress have aimed to
The President generally appoints one Democrat and one
select Members who have not previously served as
Republican to serve as U.S. representatives to the session,
delegates. (See Table 1 for a list of congressional
alternating each year between the House and Senate. The
representatives since 2006.)
75th session opened in September 2020 and operated
remotely due to the Coronavirus Disease-2019 (COVID-19)
Legislative Authority
pandemic; congressional representatives from the Senate
After the adoption of the U.N. Charter, Congress enacted
did not appear to participate. The 76th session began on
the United Nations Participation Act of 1945 (UNPA; 22
September 14, 2021, and has been conducted mostly in-
U.S.C. 287 et seq.), which provides legislative authority for
person. Congressional representatives to the session are
U.S. engagement in the United Nations. UNPA does not
Representatives Barbara Lee and French Hill.
require congressional participation in sessions of the
General Assembly, but anticipates and permits participation
Overview of the U.N. General Assembly
of Members of Congress, among other U.S. representatives,
The U.N. General Assembly is composed of all 193 U.N.
in such sessions. Section 2 of the act sets out the authorities
member states, including the United States. It is the primary
for U.S. representation the United Nations. Specifically,
deliberative, policymaking, and representative organ of the
Section 2(a) specifies that the President, by and with the
United Nations. Each country, including the United States,
advice and consent of the Senate, shall designate not more
has one vote. A two-thirds majority vote is required for
than five U.S. representatives to attend a specified session
decisions related to key issues such as peace and security,
or specified sessions of the General Assembly. UNPA does
admission of new members, and the budget. A simple
not specify whether Members are eligible to be appointed
majority vote applies for all other matters.
as U.S. representatives; however, Section 2(g) prohibits
compensation for Members serving as U.S. representatives,
The Assembly’s annual regular session opens in September
signaling that Members might serve.
and runs for one year. The main part of the session, from
September to December, includes most of the work of the
Role and Responsibilities
Assembly’s six committees. The annual meeting of heads
The role and duties of congressional representatives are not
of state and government, often referred to as the “general
formalized; thus, the level and extent of congressional
debate,” is held at the beginning of the Assembly session.
engagement during the Assembly session depends on the
Members of Congress generally serve as representatives
interests and priorities of individual Members. Delegates
during this time.
generally travel to New York at the beginning of the regular
session. In the past, some Members have attended the
Most of the 76th Assembly session is being held in person.
general debate and the President’s reception for visiting
Previously, the 75th session was virtual, with most high-
heads of state, while others have stayed for several
level speeches delivered via video link. Members used a
additional days or returned for other parts of the Assembly
“silence procedure” to adopt resolutions. Under this
session. Congressional representatives have also followed
procedure, the president of the Assembly circulated a draft
the activities of one of the General Assembly’s six main
resolution and members had at least 72 hours to raise
committees, with at least one Member tracking the work of
objections. If there were no objections, the president then
the fifth committee, which is responsible for administrative
circulated a letter stating that the resolution was adopted.
and budgetary matters related to the organization. Before or
during the session, Members may also schedule
History of Congressional Representation
appointments on policy issues of interest; these might
The concept of congressional representation to the U.N.
include one-on-one visits with heads of state, foreign
General Assembly emerged from extensive participation by
representatives, or U.N. officials.
both Senators and Representatives in the 1945 San
Francisco Conference on International Organization, which
Congressional representatives have often received support
led to the adoption of the U.N. Charter. The practice began
from congressional committee staff and State Department
at the first Assembly session in 1946, when Members of the
officials. For example, staff from the House Foreign Affairs
Senate and House held positions as representatives and
Committee (HFAC) and Senate Foreign Relations
alternate representatives, respectively. Since that time, with
Committee (SFRC) might write statements, provide
few exceptions, each year two Senators have alternated
background materials and briefings, or arrange meetings for
with two Representatives—with the Senate typically
Members. State Department officials generally coordinate
serving in years when the House holds elections. In most
meetings and brief Members on U.S. policy and key issues
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United Nations Issues: Congressional Representatives to the U.N. General Assembly
facing the Assembly. The Department also provides
of the General Assembly delegation, subject to Senate
Members with office space and services in the U.S. Mission
confirmation.
to the United Nations in New York City.
The State Department provides funding for U.S.
Appointment Process
representatives to the General Assembly, including per
As outlined in UNPA, the President, with the advice and
diem, transportation, and lodging expenses. These activities
consent of the Senate, may designate congressional
are typically financed through the Diplomatic & Consular
representatives. In practice, SFRC has developed a policy
Programs account, which funds the Office of International
of not holding hearings for temporary or part-time
Conferences in the International Organization Affairs
positions, including General Assembly representatives.
Bureau (IO/C). IO/C is responsible for accrediting,
Instead, both HFAC and SFRC have annually provided the
instructing, and managing U.S. delegates to multilateral
President with their choices, who are then nominated by the
conferences, including the General Assembly.
President and confirmed by vote of the full Senate.
Nominees for the 72nd (2017) and 73rd (2018) Assembly
Table 1. Congressional Representatives to U.N.
sessions were confirmed by the Senate by voice vote. From
General Assembly Sessions: 2008 to 2021
2013 to 2016, however, it appears that while SFRC reported
out nominees, the full Senate did not vote on the
General Assembly Main
Representatives or
nominations. For the 74th (2019) and 75th (2020) sessions,
Sessions
Senators
President Trump did not transmit nominations to SFRC,
76th
Rep. Barbara Lee
and thus no committee or full Senate consideration took
Rep. French Hil
place. In each of those years, Members of Congress served
(Sept. 14-Dec. 23, 2021)
as representatives to the Assembly (with the exception of
75th
None due to COVID-19
2020 due to COVID-19). President Biden transmitted the
(Sept. 14-Dec. 27, 2020)
pandemic.
nominations to the Senate for the Assembly’s 76th (2021)
74th
Rep. Barbara Lee
session, which were then referred to SFRC.
(Sept. 17-Dec. 27, 2019)
Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers
Committee Selection
73rd
Sen. Ron Johnson
Although both HFAC and SFRC have at different times
(Sept. 18-Dec. 22, 2018)
Sen. Jeff Merkley
documented procedures for selecting congressional
representatives, in practice the process appears to be
72nd
Rep. Barbara Lee
informal and has varied over time depending on the
(Sept. 12-Dec. 24, 2017)
Rep. Christopher Smith
priorities and preferences of committee leadership.
71st
Sen. Chris Coons
(Sept. 13-Dec. 23, 2016)
Sen. Ron Johnson
House of Representatives. HFAC does not appear to have
a formal process for selecting congressional representatives
70th
Rep. Barbara Lee
to the General Assembly. Based on past practice, it has
(Sept. 16-Dec. 29, 2015)
Rep. Christopher Smith
assigned one Member from each political party on the basis
69th
Sen. Ben Cardin
of seniority, starting with those who have not served as
(Sept. 16-Dec. 29, 2014)
Sen. Ron Johnson
representatives; however, in recent years HFAC members
have increasingly selected participants based on the
68th
Rep. Barbara Lee
Member’s level of interest in U.N.-related issues and
(Sept. 17-Dec. 27, 2013)
Rep. Mark Meadows
availability to attend the session.
67th
Sen. John Isakson
Senate. SFRC also does not appear to have a formal
(Sept. 18-Dec. 24, 2012)
Sen. Patrick Leahy
process for selecting congressional representatives to the
66th
Rep. Ann Marie Buerkle
Assembly. In practice, the chairperson and ranking member
(Sept. 13-Dec. 24, 2011)
Rep. Russ Carnahan
select the representatives, who are usually chosen from
among SFRC members. Similar to the House, congressional
65th
Sen. Jeanne Shaheen
representatives from the Senate appear to be selected based
(Sept. 14-Dec. 24, 2010)
Sen. Roger Wicker
on their interest in U.N. issues and availability.
64th
Rep. Wil iam Delahunt
Role of the Executive Branch
(Sept. 15-Dec. 23, 2009)
Rep. Christopher Smith
In accordance with the President’s authority to appoint U.S.
63rd
Sen. Bob Corker
representatives to the U.N. General Assembly, the
(Sept. 16-Dec. 23, 2008)
Sen. Bil Nelson
executive branch is responsible for sending a letter of
Sources: CRS, White House and congressional press releases.
invitation to the individual Member appointing him or her
Notes: The dates represent the end of the main part of the
to the U.S. delegation. At the same time, it customarily
Assembly session. They do not represent the entire session, which
forwards the names of the selected Members to the Senate
typical y concludes the following September, the day before the next
for confirmation, and encloses a full list of participants on
session begins.
the U.S. delegation. The first public notice is usually a press
statement from individual members, a White House
announcement, or a notice of intention to nominate as part
Luisa Blanchfield, Specialist in International Relations
https://crsreports.congress.gov
United Nations Issues: Congressional Representatives to the U.N. General Assembly
IF10464
Matthew C. Weed, Specialist in Foreign Policy Legislation
Disclaimer
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