Bravo to Senator Jeff Sessions for introducing legislation aimed at pressuring the United Nations for more thorough accounting:

Last fall, President Bush approved a $1.2 billion, low—interest loan to the United Nations for the purpose of renovating its headquarters at Turtle Bay. Concerned about the "outrageous cost" of the proposed overhaul, and about America's role in financing it, Mr. Sessions sought to halve the amount the federal government could make available to the world body.

"Notwithstanding any other provision of law, no loan in excess of $600,000,000 may be made available by the United States for the renovation of the United Nations headquarters building, located in New York, New York," the text of the Sessions legislation says.

The measure also demands a "reporting requirement": "Any such loan shall be contingent upon the satisfactory submission, by the Secretary—General of the United Nations, of a report to Congress containing a detailed analysis of the United Nations headquarters renovation."

Ed Lasky  4 7 05