Oversight

U.N. Headquarters Renovation: No Accountability Without Transparency

Date: June 20, 2006
Time: 2:30pm
Location: Senate Dirksen Building, SD-342
Agenda:

This hearing will focus on the continuing lack of transparency for the massive UN renovation project in Turtle Bay, Manhattan. This is a follow up to last year’s hearing, where the UN was called to account for wasted design money and a flawed and over-priced ($1.2 billion) plan. Now the plan’s cost projection has sky-rocketed to $1.7 billion, millions more have been spent on new designs, and an itemized cost projection is still not available. The lack of transparency is a case study in the larger lack of transparency, accountability, financial and ethical integrity at the international body.

Witnesses

Panel 1

Ambassador

John

Bolton

Permanent U.S. Representative to the United Nations

Panel 1

Ms.

Claudia

Rosett

Journalist-In-Residence

Foundation for the Defense of Democracies

Panel 1

Ms.

Anne

Bayefsky

Senior Fellow

Hudson Institute

Panel 1

Mr.

Thomas

Melito

Director, International Affairs and Trade Team

Government Accountability Office