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Updated August 31, 2023
United Nations Issues: Congressional Representatives to the
U.N. General Assembly
The annual session of the United Nations (U.N.) General
require congressional participation in sessions of the
Assembly is held at U.N. Headquarters in New York City.
General Assembly, but anticipates and permits participation
The President generally appoints one Democrat and one
of Members of Congress, among other U.S. representatives,
Republican to serve as U.S. representatives to the session,
in such sessions. Section 2 of the act sets out the authorities
alternating each year between the House and Senate.
for U.S. representation the United Nations. Specifically,
Senators Patrick Leahy and James Risch served as
Section 2(a) specifies that the President, by and with the
representatives during the 77th session. The 78th Assembly
advice and consent of the Senate, shall designate not more
session is scheduled to begin on September 5, 2023.
than five U.S. representatives to attend a specified session
or specified sessions of the General Assembly. UNPA does
Overview of the U.N. General Assembly
not specify whether Members are eligible to be appointed
The U.N. General Assembly is composed of all 193 U.N.
as U.S. representatives; however, Section 2(g) prohibits
member states, including the United States. It is the primary
compensation for Members serving as U.S. representatives,
deliberative, policymaking, and representative organ of the
signaling that Members might serve.
United Nations. Each country, including the United States,
Role and Responsibilities
has one vote. A two-thirds majority vote is required for
The role and duties of congressional representatives are not
decisions related to key issues such as peace and security,
formalized; thus, the level and extent of congressional
admission of new members, and the budget. A simple
engagement during the Assembly session depends on the
majority vote applies for all other matters.
interests and priorities of individual Members. Delegates
The Assembly’s annual regular session opens in September
generally travel to New York at the beginning of the regular
and runs for one year. The main part of the session, from
session. In the past, some Members have attended the
September to December, includes most of the work of the
general debate and the President’s reception for visiting
Assembly’s six committees. The annual meeting of heads
heads of state, while others have stayed for several
of state and government, often referred to as the “general
additional days or returned for other parts of the Assembly
debate,” is held at the beginning of the Assembly session.
session. Congressional representatives have also followed
Members of Congress generally serve as the U.S.
the activities of one of the General Assembly’s six main
representatives during this time.
committees, with at least one Member tracking the work of
the fifth committee, which is responsible for administrative
History of Congressional Representation
and budgetary matters related to the organization. Before or
The concept of congressional representation to the U.N.
during the session, Members may also schedule
General Assembly emerged from extensive participation by
appointments on policy issues of interest; these might
both Senators and Representatives in the 1945 San
include one-on-one visits with heads of state, foreign
Francisco Conference on International Organization, which
representatives, or U.N. officials.
led to the adoption of the U.N. Charter. The practice began
at the first Assembly session in 1946, when Members of the
Congressional representatives have often received support
Senate and House held positions as representatives and
from congressional committee staff and State Department
alternate representatives, respectively. Since that time, with
officials. For example, staff from the House Foreign Affairs
few exceptions, congressional representatives have served
Committee (HFAC) and Senate Foreign Relations
as part of U.S. delegations to the U.N. General Assembly,
Committee (SFRC) might write statements, provide
which are typically led and coordinated by the Department
background materials and briefings, or arrange meetings for
of State. Each year two Senators have alternated with two
Members. State Department officials generally coordinate
Representatives—with the Senate typically serving in years
meetings and brief Members on U.S. policy and key issues
when the House holds elections. In most cases, both parties
facing the Assembly. The Department also provides
have been represented and, when possible, the
Members with office space and services in the U.S. Mission
Administration and Congress have aimed to select
to the United Nations in New York City.
Members who have not previously served as delegates. (See
Table 1 for a list of congressional representatives from
Appointment Process
2007 to 2022.)
As outlined in UNPA, the President, with the advice and
consent of the Senate, may designate congressional
Legislative Authority
representatives. In practice, SFRC has developed a policy
After the adoption of the U.N. Charter, Congress enacted
of not holding hearings for temporary or part-time
the United Nations Participation Act of 1945 (UNPA; 22
positions, including General Assembly representatives.
U.S.C. 287 et seq.), which provides legislative authority for
Instead, both HFAC and SFRC have annually provided the
U.S. engagement in the United Nations. UNPA does not
President with their choices, who are then nominated by the
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United Nations Issues: Congressional Representatives to the U.N. General Assembly
President and confirmed by vote of the full Senate.
Bureau (IO/C). IO/C is responsible for accrediting,
Nominees for the 72nd (2017) and 73rd (2018) Assembly
instructing, and managing U.S. delegates to multilateral
sessions were confirmed by the Senate by voice vote. From
conferences, including the General Assembly.
2013 to 2016, however, it appears that while SFRC reported
out nominees, the full Senate did not vote on the
Table 1. Congressional Representatives to U.N.
nominations. For the 74th (2019) and 75th (2020) sessions,
General Assembly Sessions: 2007 to 2022
President Trump did not transmit nominations to SFRC,
and thus no committee or full Senate consideration took
General Assembly Main
Representatives or
place. In each of those years, Members of Congress served
Sessions
Senators
as representatives to the Assembly (with the exception of
77th
Sen. Patrick Leahy
2020 due to COVID-19). President Biden transmitted
Sen. James Risch
nominations for the Assembly’s 77th session (2022) on
(Sept. 13-Dec. 23, 2022)
September 5, 2022; the Senate subsequently confirmed the
76th
Rep. Barbara Lee
nominees by a voice vote on September 15. As of August
(Sept. 14-Dec. 23, 2021)
Rep. French Hil
29, 2023, it does not appear that the President has
75th
None due to COVID-19
transmitted nominees to the Senate for the Assembly’s 78th
(Sept. 14-Dec. 27, 2020)
pandemic.
(2023) session.
74th
Rep. Barbara Lee
Committee Selection
(Sept. 17-Dec. 27, 2019)
Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers
Although both HFAC and SFRC have at different times
documented procedures for selecting congressional
73rd
Sen. Ron Johnson
representatives, in practice the process appears to be
(Sept. 18-Dec. 22, 2018)
Sen. Jeff Merkley
informal and has varied over time depending on the
72nd
Rep. Barbara Lee
priorities and preferences of committee leadership.
(Sept. 12-Dec. 24, 2017)
Rep. Christopher Smith
House of Representatives. HFAC does not appear to have
71st
Sen. Chris Coons
a formal process for selecting congressional representatives
(Sept. 13-Dec. 23, 2016)
Sen. Ron Johnson
to the General Assembly. Based on past practice, it has
70th
Rep. Barbara Lee
assigned one Member from each political party on the basis
(Sept. 16-Dec. 29, 2015)
Rep. Christopher Smith
of seniority, starting with those who have not served as
representatives; however, in recent years HFAC members
69th
Sen. Ben Cardin
have increasingly selected participants based on the
(Sept. 16-Dec. 29, 2014)
Sen. Ron Johnson
Member’s level of interest in U.N.-related issues and
availability to attend the session.
68th
Rep. Barbara Lee
(Sept. 17-Dec. 27, 2013)
Rep. Mark Meadows
Senate. SFRC also does not appear to have a formal
67th
Sen. John Isakson
process for selecting congressional representatives to the
(Sept. 18-Dec. 24, 2012)
Sen. Patrick Leahy
Assembly. In practice, the chairperson and ranking member
select the representatives, who are usually chosen from
66th
Rep. Ann Marie Buerkle
among SFRC members. Similar to the House, congressional
(Sept. 13-Dec. 24, 2011)
Rep. Russ Carnahan
representatives from the Senate appear to be selected based
65th
Sen. Jeanne Shaheen
on their interest in U.N. issues and availability.
(Sept. 14-Dec. 24, 2010)
Sen. Roger Wicker
Role of the Executive Branch
64th
Rep. Wil iam Delahunt
In accordance with the President’s authority to appoint U.S.
(Sept. 15-Dec. 23, 2009)
Rep. Christopher Smith
representatives to the U.N. General Assembly, the
executive branch is responsible for sending a letter of
63rd
Sen. Bob Corker
invitation to the individual Member appointing him or her
(Sept. 16-Dec. 23, 2008)
Sen. Bil Nelson
to the U.S. delegation. At the same time, it customarily
62nd
Rep. Wil iam Delahunt
forwards the names of the selected Members to the Senate
(Sept. 18-Dec. 21, 2007)
Rep. Ted Poe
for confirmation, and encloses a full list of participants on
the U.S. delegation. The first public notice is usually a press
Sources: CRS, White House, and congressional press releases.
statement from individual members, a White House
Notes: The dates represent the of the main part of the Assembly
announcement, or a notice of intention to nominate as part
session. They do not represent the entire session, which typical y
of the Assembly delegation, subject to Senate confirmation.
concludes the fol owing September, the day before the next session
begins.
The State Department provides funding for U.S.
representatives to the General Assembly, including per
Luisa Blanchfield, Specialist in International Relations
diem, transportation, and lodging expenses. These activities
Matthew C. Weed, Specialist in Foreign Policy Legislation
are typically financed through the Diplomatic & Consular
Programs account, which funds the Office of International
IF10464
Conferences in the International Organization Affairs
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United Nations Issues: Congressional Representatives to the U.N. General Assembly
Disclaimer
This document was prepared by the Congressional Research Service (CRS). CRS serves as nonpartisan shared staff to
congressional committees and Members of Congress. It operates solely at the behest of and under the direction of Congress.
Information in a CRS Report should not be relied upon for purposes other than public understanding of information that has
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reproduced and distributed in its entirety without permission from CRS. However, as a CRS Report may include
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wish to copy or otherwise use copyrighted material.
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