text: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
  
      This Act may be cited as the ``United Nations Oil-for-Food 
  Accountability Act of 2004''.
  
  SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
  
      Congress finds the following:
              (1) Allegations have been raised of substantial fraud and 
          corruption in the administration of the Office of the Iraq Oil-
          for-Food Program of the United Nations.
              (2) The United Nations received 2.2 percent of the proceeds 
          of the sale of the oil exported from Iraq under the oil-for-
          food program, representing approximately $1,400,000,000, to 
          fund the administrative costs of the program.
              (3) The General Accounting Office estimates that during the 
          period from 1997 through 2002, the former Iraqi regime received 
          $10,100,000,000 in illegal revenues from the oil-for-food 
          program, including $5,700,000,000 received from oil smuggled 
          out of Iraq and $4,400,000,000 received from surcharges on oil 
          sales and illicit commissions from suppliers exporting goods to 
          Iraq.
              (4) Any illicit activity by United Nations officials, 
          personnel, agents, or contractors, including entities that have 
          entered into contracts under the oil-for-food program, is 
          unacceptable and should be thoroughly investigated.
              (5) Documents in the files of the former Oil Ministry of 
          Iraq indicate that Benon Sevan, the Executive Director of the 
          oil-for-food program, and other senior United Nations officials 
          may have been connected to an illicit scheme in which 
          approximately 270 prominent foreign officials, business people, 
          and political entities received the right to trade in Iraqi oil 
          at below-market prices.
              (6) On April 21, 2004, the United Nations Security Council 
          adopted Resolution 1538, which established a high-level inquiry 
          into allegations regarding the administration of the oil-for-
          food program. The inquiry will be led by Paul Volcker, but the 
          investigators will not have subpoena power.
              (7) The ability and credibility of the United Nations 
          Security Council to act in matters of war and peace is 
          threatened by the alleged influence of politically connected 
          individuals, companies, and institutions of the permanent 
          member states who received Iraqi oil contracts.
              (8) The ability and credibility of the United Nations to 
          convey legitimacy to the new Government of Iraq and assist in 
          the reconstruction of postwar Iraq is hampered by these 
          allegations of United Nations corruption and mismanagement in 
          the oil-for-food program.
  
  SEC. 3. OIL-FOR-FOOD PROGRAM DEFINED.
  
      In this Act, the term ``oil-for-food program'' means the program 
  established and administered pursuant to United Nations Security 
  Council Resolution 986 (April 14, 1995) and subsequent United Nations 
  resolutions to permit the sale of petroleum products exported from Iraq 
  and to use the revenue generated from such sale for humanitarian 
  assistance.
  
  SEC. 4. PAYMENT OF UNITED STATES CONTRIBUTIONS FOR UNITED NATIONS 
                REGULAR BUDGET CONTINGENT UPON PRESIDENTIAL CERTIFICATION 
                OF UNITED NATIONS COOPERATION.
  
      (a) Withholding of Portion of Assessed Contributions.--Until the 
  President submits to Congress a certification that satisfies the 
  requirements described in subsection (b), amounts shall be withheld 
  from amounts appropriated for contributions to international 
  organizations as follows:
              (1) Of the funds appropriated for contributions to 
          international organizations in an Act making appropriations for 
          fiscal year 2005, 10 percent of the amount available for United 
          States assessed contributions to the regular budget of the 
          United Nations for such fiscal year.
              (2) Of the funds appropriated for contributions to 
          international organizations in an Act making appropriations for 
          fiscal year 2006, 20 percent of the amount available for United 
          States assessed contributions to the regular budget of the 
          United Nations for such fiscal year.
      (b) Certification.--The certification referred to in subsection (a) 
  is a certification made by the President to Congress that--
              (1) the United Nations has in effect procedures that 
          provide the General Accounting Office access to all documents 
          relating to the oil-for-food program so that the Comptroller 
          General may perform nationally mandated reviews of United 
          Nations operations;
              (2) the United Nations Secretary General has formally 
          confirmed that the United Nations will not assert the 
          inviolability of United Nations papers and internal records 
          that concern the oil-for-food program or a sanction imposed on 
          Iraq related to the oil-for-food program;
              (3) the United Nations Secretary General has authorized the 
          release to the law enforcement authorities of any member state 
          of the United Nations authentic copies of any document in the 
          possession of the United Nations, including any document in the 
          possession of a person who was engaged on a contract basis to 
          provide goods or services to the United Nations, that in the 
          judgment of the requesting authority directly or indirectly 
          concerns the oil-for-food program or a sanction imposed on Iraq 
          related to the oil-for-food program upon request by such law 
          enforcement authority;
              (4) the United Nations has waived any immunity enjoyed by 
          any United Nations official from the judicial process in the 
          United States for any civil or criminal acts or omissions under 
          Federal or State law that may have transpired within the 
          jurisdiction of the United States in connection with the oil-
          for-food program; and
              (5) any United Nations official who benefitted financially 
          from the oil-for-food program has reimbursed the Government of 
          Iraq and any other entity affected by the illicit activity of 
          such official the full amount that such official improperly 
          received from the oil-for-food program.
target: United Nations Oil-for-Food Accountability Act of 2004 - Requires the withholding of certain FY 2005 and 2006 U.S. contributions to the United Nations (UN) until the President certifies that the UN is cooperating in the investigation of the United Nations Oil-for-Food Program.
feat_title: To require the withholding of United States contributions to the United Nations until the President certifies that the United Nations is cooperating in the investigation of the United Nations Oil-for-Food Program.