H.J.R. 3

1

RESOLUTION URGING CONGRESS TO
2 CONSIDER WITHDRAWING THE UNITED
3 STATES FROM THE UNITED NATIONS
4 2004 GENERAL SESSION
5 STATE OF UTAH
6 Sponsor: Don E. Bush
7 Douglas C. Aagard
8 Calvin G. Bird
9 DeMar Bud Bowman
10 Katherine M. Bryson
11 Craig W. Buttars
12 David N. CoxMargaret Dayton
Glenn A. Donnelson
Neil A. Hansen
Gregory H. Hughes
Eric K. HutchingsBradley T. Johnson
Rebecca D. Lockhart
Michael E. Noel
J. Morgan Philpot
Mike Thompson 13
14 LONG TITLE
15 General Description:
16 This joint resolution of the Legislature urges United States Congressional action.
17 Highlighted Provisions:
18 This resolution:
19 . urges the United States Congress to consider withdrawing the membership of the
20 United States of America from the United Nations so that the United States may
21 retain its sovereignty and control over its own funds and military forces.
22 Special Clauses:
23 None
24
25 Be it resolved by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
26 WHEREAS, the United States is known for its compassionate people who are generous
27 and kind in caring for the needs of those in other countries and whose resources are used
28 worldwide to alleviate hunger and poverty;

29 WHEREAS, United States military forces are called upon to bear the brunt of any
30 conflicts that may arise, which costs the lives of many American armed forces members, while
31 other nations stay on the sidelines;
32 WHEREAS, the United States provides the largest share of the financial burden for the
33 United Nations, amounting to hundreds of millions or even billions of dollars each year which
34 could be used to address many of the nation's own needs;
35 WHEREAS, many of the countries who are members of the United Nations are not only
36 unfriendly to the United States, but also support ideas and interests that are detrimental to the
37 United States;
38 WHEREAS, member nations that are among the worst human rights violators are
39 members of, and even chair, the committee to investigate human rights violations while the
40 United States is denied membership;
41 WHEREAS, the secretary-general of the United Nations, as well as most other leaders
42 and committee chairs, are chosen from nations who do not share the values of the United
43 States, but this nation is expected to follow their decisions and programs;
44 WHEREAS, the United States was founded, and the constitution was created, for the
45 purpose of providing freedoms and rights and for protecting the nation's values and way of life;
46 WHEREAS, the United States was created to be independent from, not subject to, the
47 laws and rules of other nations;
48 WHEREAS, the United Nations has further imperiled the sovereignty of the United
49 States' military serving abroad by adopting an International Criminal Court, which violates
50 both the Uniform Code of Military Justice and the United States Constitution;
51 WHEREAS, the International Criminal Court has no legitimate authority and lacks any
52 body of laws by which to adjudicate cases since the authority to enact laws rests with sovereign
53 nations;
54 WHEREAS, the International Criminal Court merges the functions of prosecutor and
55 adjudicator into one office, which is contrary to the United States Constitution;
56 WHEREAS, the International Criminal Court fails to provide any appeal from
57 adjudication at the trial level and fails to provide for a trial by jury;
58 WHEREAS, the International Criminal Court fails to provide that the accused be
59 confronted by his or her accusers, providing instead for the use of hearsay evidence;

60 WHEREAS, the International Criminal Court fails to provide for the accused the right
61 to compel the production of witnesses;
62 WHEREAS, the International Criminal Court allows evidence obtained from the
63 accused by compulsion;
64 WHEREAS, the International Criminal Court denies other fundamental rights
65 recognized in the constitutional jurisprudence of the United States;
66 WHEREAS, even though the United States has not signed the agreement to abide by
67 the decisions of the International Criminal Court, when two-thirds of the member nations sign,
68 it will be binding on all members;
69 WHEREAS, the United States Constitution, which provides America with the greatest
70 form of government known to humankind, and which was made possible and protected by
71 much sacrifice and bloodshed throughout the nation's history, is not recognized as a governing
72 document by the United Nations;
73 WHEREAS, the continual use of the nation's resources and armed forces to enforce its
74 resolutions and to police the world as a result of failed United Nations peace overtures may
75 eventually weaken the United States to the point where it can no longer defend its freedoms;
76 WHEREAS, the absolute failure of the United Nations to support the United States in
77 the war against terrorism in Iraq is but the latest affront to the citizens of the United States; and
78 WHEREAS, the United States has nothing to gain and everything to lose by continuing
79 as a member of the United Nations:
80 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of the state of Utah
81 respectfully but firmly requests that the United States Congress consider dissolving the
82 membership of the United States in the United Nations, thereby freeing the nation from a large
83 financial burden and retaining the nation's sovereignty to decide what is best for the nation and
84 determine what steps it considers appropriate as the leader of the free world in full control of
85 its armed forces and destiny.
86 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this resolution be sent to the President of
87 the United States Senate, the Majority Leader of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the
88 United States House of Representatives, the President of the United States, and to the members
89 of Utah's congressional delegation.

Legislative Review Note
as of 12-16-03 2:52 PM

A limited legal review of this legislation raises no obvious constitutional or statutory concerns.

Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel