Congressman Jefferson Shreve introduced the No U.S. Funding for UNIFIL Act on May 29, legislation aimed at halting U.S. taxpayer funding for the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon. Congressman Jared Moskowitz is co-leading this effort.
UNIFIL was established nearly five decades ago with the goal of securing the Israel-Lebanon border and preventing Hezbollah from gaining strength. According to Shreve, “UNIFIL has failed that test. It has not stopped Hezbollah’s buildup. It has not secured lasting stability along the Israel-Lebanon border. American taxpayers should not be asked to keep funding a mission that has not delivered.”
The press release states that despite billions of dollars spent over several decades, UNIFIL has been unable to stop Hezbollah’s military buildup or prevent ongoing instability along the border region.
Last year, the United Nations Security Council voted to extend UNIFIL’s mandate for a final time and directed that its operations cease on December 31, 2026. Shreve’s proposed legislation would codify this position by ensuring American tax dollars can no longer fund UNIFIL or any successor mission after that date.
Moskowitz said, “Taxpayers deserve to know their money is being used to strengthen security, not fund a mission that has failed to do its job. UNIFIL has had every opportunity to prove it can deliver, and it has not. This legislation is about putting accountability back into the process and making sure American dollars are supporting efforts that produce real results.”
