mr. chairman , i thank the ranking member for yielding the time , and i want to express my enormous respect for the gentleman from illinois ( mr. hyde )  , my dear friend , with whom i agree on some things but not on this issue , although the majority of the bill i know is consistent with the gentleman from california 's ( mr. lantos )  and my view , although i do rise in strong support of the lantos substitute and in opposition to the underlying bill , but it is with great respect ; and i appreciate the opportunity to work with my colleague on this and many other issues .  it is no secret that the united nations is going through a period of intense soul-searching , precipitated by increasing evidence that it has become an ineffective and unwieldy institution that long ago lost sight of its reason for being .  when the world changes , its institutions must change with it or become irrelevant , and so the u.n .  has embarked on a mission to adapt to the changing times .  as the nation most involved in the founding of the u.n. , the united states has an obligation to play a key role in this reform process .  reform can not , frankly , come quickly enough .  the u.n .  suffers today from a credibility gap around the world and for good reason .  the volcker commission has exposed some uncomfortable truths about the oil-for-food program .  the u.n .  has dragged its feet in addressing some of our world 's worst crises , such as the darfur genocide , and has been impotent on human rights issues ; and the record of the u.n .  and many of its member states with respect to israel has , frankly , been abominable .  in many ways , the u.n .  is broken ; but we must remember that it remains and must remain a central actor in global affairs .  the organization has provided critical resources to nations coping with great poverty and social dislocation .  the u.n .  population fund has reduced the number of unintended pregnancies around the world through basic family planning services .  unicef is the premier organization combating childhood disease in poor countries .  agencies like the united nations development program have raised living standards by improving governance , health , and education .  for millions around the world , the u.n .  is not some distance bureaucracy .  it is a hot meal for a hungry family .  it is a doctor for a pregnant mother .  it is protection for a first-time voter , and it is peace for a war-ravaged village .  indeed , even when the u.n .  efforts fall short , and they often do , progress toward international cooperation is made , and recognition of common interests and values is encouraged .  as many have said , the u.n .  is the kind of organization we would have to invent if it did not already exist .  a strong u.n .  is good for the united states and good for the world .  so enacting the hyde bill , which is more about punishment than reform , simply does not serve , in my judgment , the best interests of this country .  in requiring a mandatory 50 percent cut in the united states dues to the u.n. , unless 32 of 39 specific reforms are achieved , the hyde bill provides no flexibility whatever to the state department to negotiate with other u.n .  member states .  rather than providing secretary rice a tool to encourage ongoing u.n .  reform negotiations , it ties her hands .  the lantos substitute would call for most of the same reforms as the hyde bill , while providing the secretary of state with room to maneuver to get real reforms passed .  it is a common-sense way to achieve the changes we all agree are needed with the right balance of diplomacy and muscle .  and while i support the goals of the chairman , i can not endorse his means , and i urge my colleagues to support the lantos substitute and defeat the underlying bill .  