mr. chairman , i yield myself such time as i may consume . 
mr. chairman , i have a chart here which the gentleman from illinois ( mr. hyde ) xz4001920 prepared , and i think you can see all the scandals at the united nations . 
this has been shown several times . 
i think it is a good reminder to all of us that the u.n . 
is obviously in need of serious reform . 
i commend chairman hyde and his reform bill for doing just that . 
i think it ensures the reforms that we need . 
my amendment is very simple . 
the main part of the hyde bill is to withhold u.s. contributions to the regular assessed budget of the u.n . 
unless they make real and substantial reforms in the way they operate . 
so his underlying legislation calls for a 50 percent withholding , and my amendment simply increases that to 75 percent . 
i think you can think over it in terms of a glass half full , half empty , his 50 percent . 
my amendment would make it 75 percent empty , which i think for most people is a real clear sign we should do something . 
so it is not just adding more teeth , it is also one of symbolism . 
i think just to review , we all know the u.n . 
is not as effective as it could be , not to mention all these scandals . 
the number one scandal is the oil-for-food program that we are still investigating , and we still have not got to the bottom of this scandal . 
i think the american people , understandably , have sort of lost faith in the united nations . 
it does not seem to be fulfilling its founding mission , as long as it continues to coddle dictators and appease terrorists . 
there is an ever-growing list of grievances against the united nations , and suggested reform is desperately needed . 
if not , we will continue to pour hundreds of millions of american taxpayers ' dollars down into what i call a bottomless pit . 
so leveraging our dues this way is the only way we can ensure the u.n . 
makes the necessary change . 
now , the question would be what is the difference , as i mentioned , between 50 and 75 percent ? 
i think in real dollars and real impact , this will be more important , to move it to 75 percent . 
for many of us who feel strongly about this , it gives a little more weight to it . 
i would also say , mr. chairman , that i had a dream last night , and this dream was of the gentleman from illinois ( mr. hyde ) xz4001920 , the distinguished chairman of the committee on the international relations . 
in this dream he was puzzling how much to withhold from the u.n . 
until they enact the necessary reform -- so in his great wisdom . 
as he sat in his chair in my dream , he set in a magnificent chair , and there were clouds and harps all around him , and he was deliberating very carefully whether to do 50 percent or 75 percent . 
he finally decided , after much deliberation , to do 50 percent . 
but i could tell in this dream that in his heart of hearts he wanted to have 75 percent . 
so , mr. chairman , the dream i had of you convinced me that i should come down to the house floor today and offer 75 percent as a humble way to extend your feelings that were in my dream . 
