The United Nations could not function without the United States. While every U.N. member must contribute to the organization’s budget to fund administrative costs, the U.S. contributes more than others. In 2023, the U.N. asked the U.S. to provide its usual 22% of its operating budget and asked taxpayers to foot the bill for 27% of peacekeeping expenses, although Congress caps this donation at 25%. Put another way, the U.N. charges the U.S. almost twice as much as China, five times as much as fellow Security Council members France and the United Kingdom, and nine times as much as Russia.