This was a vote on an amendment by Rep. Cliff Stearns (R-FL) prohibiting federal funds) from being used for renovation or construction at the United Nations (U.N.) headquarters.  This amendment was offered to a continuing resolution funding the federal government through September 2011, and cutting $61 billion in federal funding for many government programs.

Stearns urged support for his amendment: “Now, the renovations that are occurring on the U.N. ultimately are necessary, but the cost that is occurring is not….I want to be clear that…this amendment is not to obstruct the U.N. from making a safe environment for the workers and the visitors that come there but to encourage reform and use best business practices considering that the taxpayers are funding about a quarter of the amount of money they're spending for renovations.”

Rep. Nita Lowey (D-NY) opposed the amendment: “The U.N. headquarters complex, the majority of which is 55 years old, is not compliant with New York City building and life safety codes or modern security requirements. The major building systems are inefficient, beyond their useful life, increasingly difficult to maintain and repair….Providing the U.N. with safe and functional headquarter facilities will enable the organization to operate more effectively is what we all want.”

The House agreed to this amendment by a vote of 231-191. Voting “yea” were 215 Republicans and 16 Democrats. 170 Democrats and 21 Republicans voted “nay.” As a result, the House agreed to an amendment prohibiting funds provided by a continuing resolution from being used for renovation or construction at the United Nations headquarters.