Utah Valley Times

U.S. Senator Mitt Romney (R-UT), a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee (SFRC), along with Senator Jim Risch (R-ID), SFRC Ranking Member, and 23 other Senate colleagues, have introduced the No Official Palestine Entry (NOPE) Act. This legislation aims to update existing law to ensure that U.S. assistance does not benefit entities that grant additional rights and privileges to the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO).

Senator Romney stated, “The U.S. should not lend credibility to an organization that actively promotes and rewards terrorism. By granting any sort of status at the UN to the Palestine Liberation Organization, we would be doing just that. Our legislation would cut off U.S. taxpayer funding to the UN if it gives additional rights and privileges to the Palestinian Authority and the PLO.”

Ranking Member Risch added, “The Palestinian Authority and the Palestine Liberation Organization are deeply flawed, plagued by corruption, and incite terrorism through the egregious ‘pay for slay’ program. Giving the PLO a voice at the United Nations is preposterous and fails to account for the PLO’s role in inspiring generations of Palestinians to support acts of terror. This legislation will ensure taxpayer dollars are not used to give the PLO credibility.”

In addition to Romney and Risch, cosponsors of the NOPE Act include Senators John Barrasso (R-WY), Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Bill Cassidy (R-LA), Mike Lee (R-UT), Tom Cotton (R-AR), John Cornyn (R-TX), Steve Daines (R-MT), Pete Ricketts (R-NE), Mike Crapo (R-ID), Bill Hagerty (R-TN), Ted Cruz (R-TX), Deb Fischer (R-NE), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS), Todd Young (R-IN), John Hoeven (R-ND), Rick Scott (R-FL), Cynthia Lummis (R-WY), Thom Tillis (R-NC), Marco Rubio (R-FL), Tommy Tuberville (R-AL), Joni Ernst (R-IA), Markwayne Mullin (R-OK), and John Thune (R-SD).

On Friday, May 10th, the Palestinian Authority is expected to pursue a vote in the United Nations General Assembly to enhance its current status at the UN. While this enhanced status may not equate to full membership, it could include numerous rights and privileges previously granted only to full members.

Current U.S. law prohibits funding to organizations like the UN that grant the PLO full membership or standing as a member state. The NOPE Act seeks to update this existing funding prohibition to organizations that offer the PLO “any status, rights, or privileges beyond observer status.”