The United States Commitment to Peacekeeping Act of 2023 would repeal a 1994 law that caps U.S. contributions to United Nations peacekeeping operations at 25 percent of the total budget. The bill removes this cap, which the government assessed rates negotiated by the UN General Assembly have actually set higher at nearly 27 percent, leaving the U.S. with over $1.28 billion in unpaid debt since 2017. Removing the cap would align U.S. contributions with its legal obligations and restore American standing at the UN, allowing the country to better advocate for peacekeeping reforms including human rights protections, investigation of sexual exploitation and abuse by peacekeepers, and increased participation of women in peacekeeping missions. The bill requires the State Department to submit reports within 180 days on strengthening conflict prevention in UN missions and on the challenges of transitioning peacekeeping operations to host-country forces. Congress has bipartisanally waived the 25 percent cap 15 times since 2000, but this legislation would make the payments permanent and automatic based on the UN's assessed rates.
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