Senator Young, colleagues introduce NOPE Act to cut off U.S. funding to UN if the Palestinian Authority receives increased privileges

News

U.S. Senator Todd Young (R-Ind.), a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, joined 24 Senate colleagues in introducing the No Official Palestine Entry (NOPE) Act, legislation to update existing funding prohibitions in law that would cause the United States to cut off assistance to entities that give additional rights and privileges to the Palestinian Authority (PA).

In addition to Young, the NOPE Act is also cosponsored by Senators Jim Risch (R-Idaho), John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), Bill Cassidy (R-La.), Mike Lee (R-Utah), Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), John Cornyn (R-Texas), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), Pete Ricketts (R-Neb.), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.), Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.), Mitt Romney (R-Utah), John Hoeven (R-N.D.), Rick Scott (R-Fla.), Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.), and John Thune (R-S.D.).

Full text of the legislation can be found here.

Background:

Yesterday, the United Nations (UN) General Assembly voted to enhance the current status of the PA at the UN. This enhanced status may fall short of full membership, but it would include numerous rights and privileges that previously have only been granted to full members.

Current U.S. law prohibits U.S. funding to organizations, such as the UN, which give the Palestinian Liberation Organization full membership or standing as a member state. The NOPE Act updates the existing funding prohibition to organizations that offer the PLO “any status, rights, or privileges beyond observer status.”