madam speaker , i thank the gentleman for yielding me this time . 
first , i want to thank my friend from utah for his most gracious words at the outset of this debate , and i would like to commend my distinguished colleague , the gentleman from florida ( mr. hastings ) xz4001701 , for his leadership on foreign policy matters and for his invaluable assistance on the committee on rules . 
madam speaker , as we embark upon today 's historic debate , at the outset i would like to publicly express my respect , my admiration , my affection , and my friendship to the chairman of the house committee on international relations . 
the gentleman from illinois ( mr. hyde ) xz4001920 has been a giant in this body for many years . 
his contributions to the work of the congress and to the welfare of our nation are without limits , and it has been one of the great privileges of my congressional career to have had the opportunity of serving on his committee . 
madam speaker , let me make it clear that there is no member of this body who is opposed to far-reaching reforms at the united nations . 
we must approve legislation to fight corruption , hypocrisy , ineffectiveness , waste , and anti-americanism at this important global institution . 
there is no disagreement , madam speaker , between chairman hyde and me as to whether the u.n . 
must be reformed . 
where we part ways is on how to accomplish this incredibly important goal . 
madam speaker , the good lord gave us ten commandments . 
the legislation before the house today gives us 39 . 
while i know there has been some inflation over time , there is no rational explanation for such an explosion of legislative commandments . 
the united nations reform act is truly a guillotine on autopilot . 
if the united nations accomplishes 38 out of 39 commandments , but only accomplishes one-half of the last commandment , the united states will automatically cut off 50 percent of our contributions to the united nations . 
secretary of state rice will have absolutely no choice in the matter . 
the president of the united states will have no choice in this matter . 
the congress will have no choice in this matter . 
the bill under consideration is also a death blow to united nations peacekeeping . 
upon enactment of this legislation , the united states will be forced to oppose any new or expanded peacekeeping mission until a comprehensive series of peacekeeping reforms are implemented , many of which we all know will take years to accomplish . 
rwanda-style genocides could unfold before our eyes , and the united nations would have to turn its back . 
madam speaker , i agree that peacekeeping desperately needs reform , but it boggles the mind to think that this body would approve legislation which automatically cuts off all u.s. support for u.n . 
peacekeeping unless congressionally mandated commandments are immediately implemented . 
we are not alone , madam speaker , in our deep opposition to the united nations reform act in its current form . 
this republican administration is strongly opposed to this legislation . 
under secretary of state nicholas burns said yesterday that this legislation `` would undermine american credibility at the united nations and would call into question our reliability as the founder and host nation and leading contributor to the united nations. '' eight of our former ambassadors to the united nations , republicans and democrats alike , ranging from ambassador jeanne kirkpatrick to ambassador danforth , a former distinguished republican senator , all oppose this legislation . 
madam speaker , my republican colleague , the gentleman from connecticut ( mr. shays ) xz4003700 , and i will offer a substitute amendment to promote u.n . 
reform effectively . 
our substitute , which is rational , responsible and bipartisan , does not have the rigid and arbitrary dictate that automatically cuts 50 percent of our dues . 
this provision makes the bill , which has many good provisions in it , a guillotine on autopilot . 
i urge all of my colleagues to vote for the lantos-shays substitute . 
