Overview

Title

To terminate membership by the United States in the United Nations, and for other purposes.

ELI5 AI

S. 669 is a proposal for the United States to leave the United Nations, which would mean the U.S. stops helping and working with this big group of countries and their projects, like keeping peace and working on health issues.

Summary AI

S. 669 proposes that the United States terminate its membership in the United Nations, including all its agencies and related bodies, and end all UN-related agreements and contributions. It seeks to repeal the United Nations Participation Act of 1945, close the U.S. Mission to the UN, and withdraw the U.S. from the UN Headquarters Agreement. The bill also prohibits U.S. participation in UN peacekeeping operations and ensures that UN officials and diplomats no longer have diplomatic immunity in the U.S. Furthermore, the bill states that any future reentry into the UN would require Senate approval with conditions that ensure the right to withdraw.

Published

2025-02-20
Congress: 119
Session: 1
Chamber: SENATE
Status: Introduced in Senate
Date: 2025-02-20
Package ID: BILLS-119s669is

Bill Statistics

Size

Sections:
10
Words:
1,203
Pages:
6
Sentences:
40

Language

Nouns: 427
Verbs: 70
Adjectives: 47
Adverbs: 17
Numbers: 45
Entities: 134

Complexity

Average Token Length:
4.53
Average Sentence Length:
30.07
Token Entropy:
4.66
Readability (ARI):
18.68

AnalysisAI

General Summary of the Bill

The bill titled "Disengaging Entirely From the United Nations Debacle Act of 2025" (or the "DEFUND Act of 2025") seeks to terminate the United States' membership in the United Nations (UN) and its associated bodies. It proposes repealing the United Nations Participation Act of 1945, closing the U.S. Mission to the UN, ending U.S. financial contributions, prohibiting participation in UN peacekeeping operations, and ending involvement with the World Health Organization (WHO). Furthermore, the bill aims to prevent the U.S from rejoining the UN or related bodies without Senate approval.

Summary of Significant Issues

The bill has provoked numerous concerns across various sections:

  1. Geopolitical Implications: Repealing U.S. membership in the UN and its bodies could significantly alter international relations. This change might hinder global cooperation on pressing issues, including climate change, human rights, and security.

  2. Logistical and Financial Concerns: Details about the financial and logistical process for exiting the UN are sparse, which could lead to potential disruptions in diplomatic activities and financial uncertainties.

  3. Impact on Peacekeeping and Public Health: By prohibiting involvement in UN peacekeeping operations and repealing participation in the WHO, the bill could weaken U.S. contributions to international peace and global health security.

  4. Diplomatic Relations: The repeal of diplomatic immunities for UN personnel could result in reciprocal measures against U.S. diplomats, complicating international diplomacy.

  5. Future Diplomatic Flexibility: The condition that rejoining the UN requires Senate consent restricts future U.S. diplomatic flexibility and may isolate the country from international communities.

  6. Political Language: The bill's title is perceived as politically charged, which could polarize opinion and affect public perception.

Broad Public Impact

The bill's enactment may have widespread consequences for the broader public. Terminating U.S. involvement in international organizations could diminish the nation's influence in international policy-making, impacting global issues that require multilateral cooperation. For instance, climate change requires coordinated global efforts, and the U.S. withdrawal could slow progress in this area.

Moreover, the absence of U.S. participation in WHO initiatives could affect the nation's ability to respond to global health challenges, potentially impacting public health within the United States as well.

Impact on Specific Stakeholders

  1. Government and Diplomats: U.S. diplomats might face challenges abroad as the withdrawal of diplomatic immunities could provoke similar actions against them by other countries.

  2. International Organizations: The UN and its related bodies might face funding shortfalls and reduced influence in international diplomacy due to the loss of U.S. support.

  3. American Public: The lack of international cooperation might affect Americans traveling or working abroad and could impact domestic health policies if international public health efforts are undermined.

  4. Legislative Bodies: The bill's requirement for Senate approval to reenter the UN underscores the need for legislative oversight in foreign policy decisions but might also slow down urgent diplomatic actions.

In essence, while the bill seeks to redefine U.S. foreign policy and international involvement, its potential consequences on international relations, diplomatic activities, and global cooperation raise critical questions about its viability and alignment with broader geopolitical interests.

Issues

  • The repeal of the United Nations Participation Act of 1945 and subsequent termination of U.S. membership in the UN (Section 2) could have significant geopolitical implications, negatively impacting international relations and cooperation on global challenges such as climate change and human rights.

  • The closure of the United States Mission to the United Nations without providing a detailed timeline or process (Section 2) raises concerns about the logistics and consequences of such an abrupt termination, which could disrupt ongoing diplomatic engagements.

  • The prohibition of U.S. participation in any United Nations peacekeeping operations (Section 5) might undermine diplomatic and humanitarian efforts, limiting the U.S.'s role in global peace and security initiatives.

  • The repeal of the United States' participation in the World Health Organization (WHO) (Section 7) could lead to significant public health concerns and diminish international cooperation in health matters, especially in light of recent global health crises.

  • The withdrawal from the United Nations Headquarters Agreement and repeal of diplomatic immunity (Section 6) could provoke reciprocal actions affecting U.S. diplomats abroad, further complicating international diplomatic activities.

  • The lack of detailed financial implications or transitional arrangements (Sections 2, 3, and 6) creates uncertainty about the economic impact of terminating U.S. involvement in the UN and what costs might arise from such actions.

  • The prohibition on U.S. reentry into the UN without Senate consent (Section 9) may significantly curtail future diplomatic flexibility and could be perceived as isolating the U.S. from the international community.

  • The language used in the bill is politically charged and potentially biased, as seen in the title 'Disengaging Entirely From the United Nations Debacle Act of 2025' (Section 1), which could influence public perception and lead to a polarized political environment.

Sections

Sections are presented as they are annotated in the original legislative text. Any missing headers, numbers, or non-consecutive order is due to the original text.

1. Short title Read Opens in new tab

Summary AI

The first section of the text gives the name of the bill, which is the "Disengaging Entirely From the United Nations Debacle Act of 2025" or simply the "DEFUND Act of 2025".

2. Repeal of United Nations Participation Act of 1945 Read Opens in new tab

Summary AI

The proposed legislation would revoke the United Nations Participation Act of 1945, requiring the United States to end its membership in the United Nations and related entities. Additionally, it mandates the closure of the United States Mission to the United Nations, ceasing all its activities.

3. Repeal of United Nations Headquarters Agreement Act Read Opens in new tab

Summary AI

The section describes the repeal of the "United Nations Headquarters Agreement Act" from 1947, ending the United States' participation in the agreement with the United Nations concerning its headquarters in New York.

4. United States assessed and voluntary contributions to the United Nations Read Opens in new tab

Summary AI

The section states that the United States will not allocate any funds for contributions to the United Nations or its affiliated bodies unless it's for the purpose of ending U.S. membership and withdrawing U.S. personnel and equipment. Once the U.S. ends its membership, no more payments will be made to the United Nations, using either previously appropriated funds or any other available funds.

5. United Nations peacekeeping operations Read Opens in new tab

Summary AI

The United States is prohibited from taking part in any United Nations peacekeeping operations.

6. Withdrawal of United Nations presence in facilities of the Government of the United States and repeal of diplomatic immunity Read Opens in new tab

Summary AI

The section outlines that the United Nations and its related entities are not allowed to use or occupy any U.S. government property, and it revokes the diplomatic privileges and immunities usually granted under international agreements, such as the Vienna Convention, for United Nations officers, employees, and affiliates.

7. Repeal of United States participation in the World Health Organization Read Opens in new tab

Summary AI

The section repeals the United States' participation in the World Health Organization by nullifying the joint resolution from June 14, 1948, which originally authorized the country's membership and funding for the organization.

8. Repeal of involvement in United Nations conventions and agreements Read Opens in new tab

Summary AI

The section states that the United States will stop participating in any conventions and agreements with the United Nations or its affiliated bodies, and no remaining duties of these agreements will be fulfilled.

9. Prohibition on United States reentry into United Nations Read Opens in new tab

Summary AI

The section prohibits the President from joining the United Nations or its associated bodies without the Senate's approval. Additionally, any agreement for joining must include a provision allowing the United States to withdraw from it.

10. Notification Read Opens in new tab

Summary AI

The Secretary of State is required to inform the United Nations and its associated groups about the rules set in this Act.