United Nations Voting Accountability Act of 2025
The United Nations Voting Accountability Act of 2025 would prohibit United States foreign assistance to any country that has opposed the United States’ positions in United Nations votes. The definition of “opposed” is based on voting alignment: if a country’s recorded votes in the UN General Assembly (and in the Security Council for Security Council members) match the United States less than 50% of the time, that country is considered to oppose the U.S. position. The bill allows for a temporary exemption if there has been a fundamental change in leadership and policies since the most recent General Assembly session, such that the new government will no longer oppose the U.S. position. Exemptions are temporary and expire with the next required report to Congress under a 1990s foreign relations statute, with the Secretary of State required to notify Congress and discuss the basis for the exemption. The act would take effect when the required report under the 1990-1991 Foreign Relations Authorization Act is submitted, anticipated by March 31, 2026. United States assistance, for purposes of the bill, includes a broad set of aid programs such as the Economic Support Fund, International Military Education and Training, the Foreign Military Financing Program, and other monetary or physical aid.
Key Points
- 1Prohibition on U.S. assistance to countries that opposed the United States’ position in United Nations votes, applying to specified aid programs and forms of assistance.
- 2Exemption mechanism for regime change: a country may be exempted if there is a fundamental change in leadership and policy resulting in the country no longer opposing the U.S. position; exemption lasts only until the next required FRAA 1990-1991 report is submitted, with the Secretary of State required to notify Congress and explain the basis for the exemption.
- 3Use of a defined voting standard: “opposed the position of the United States” is determined by whether the country’s UN votes align with the U.S. less than 50% of the time, using data from the most recent General Assembly session (and Security Council data for Security Council members) as described in the relevant FRAA 1990-1991 report.
- 4Scope of “United States assistance”: includes major U.S. foreign aid tools such as the Economic Support Fund, International Military Education and Training, Foreign Military Financing, and other monetary or physical assistance.
- 5Effective date tied to a specific reporting deadline: the act takes effect on the date the required FRAA 1990/1991 report is submitted to Congress (anticipated by March 31, 2026).