The US House of Representativespassed a bill on Friday that would cut the United States' dues to the United Nations if the world body does not undergo tough reforms.

The bill, introduced by Henry Hyde, a Republican who chairs theHouse International Relations Committee, was passed as 221 lawmakers were in favor of it and 184 were against it.

However, the bill is unlikely to become law as the White House has said it is against it.

The bill demands the United Nations engage in a total of 39 reforms. If the US secretary of state would not be able to confirm32 of the 39 reforms by September 2007, and all 39 reforms by the year 2008, the United States would halve its dues to the United Nations.

The United States is by far the largest financial contributor to the United Nations by paying about 22 percent of the world body's annual general budget of some 2 billion US dollars.

Source: Xinhua