The IO is charged with developing and implementing the policies of the U.S. government with respect to the United Nations and its affiliated agencies, as well as within certain other international organizations.

The United States Representative, particularly when he sits as a member of the President's Cabinet, obviously "outranks" the Assistant Secretary through whom he normally receives his instruction.

The most obvious one is that great political crises have dominated the foreign policy scene over the last decade: Soviet relations in general, the Berlin Blockade, the Korean War, Indochina, Suez, and Hungary.

While recognizing that smaller staffs are sometimes more effective than larger ones, the PC is concerned about the capability of the staff to "discharge its responsibilities in planning, supervising, and evaluating the ever-expanding and complex work of the principal organs of the UN as well as the performance of a dozen special bodies or programs of the Organization and 14 UN specialized agencies located around the world."'

The PC recommends that (1) the Assistant Secretary for International Organization Affairs be given more comprehensive authority to deal with economic and social activities, noting that they account for 80 percent of UN expenditures, (2) technical staff members from other departments be attached to the bureau for limited periods of time to work on budgetary and programmatic problems of the specialized agencies, and (3) the bureau be funded adequately to obtain specific evaluations of the programs and effectiveness of UN activities.

[8] Ambassador Rosemary DiCarlo expressed the support of the United States in implementing the “New Horizon Project,” which attempts to better “anticipate challenges to peacekeeping missions.”[9] Furthermore, the United States called for clearer mandates for Peace Keeping Operations (PKO's) by including “specific benchmarks whenever possible,”[9] which would “greatly enhance the capacity of the UN to effectively undertake complex peace operations and to review those operations once undertaken.” [9] The Ambassador also encouraged a greater effort from the UN member states as a whole to train and equip PKO's to meet increasing demands.

Later, Ambassador Susan E. Rice reiterated the need to strengthen the “capacity of the organization to engage effectively in complex peace operations, at a time when the burdens and challenges placed on the institution are greater than ever.” [10] Similarly, to assist and protect the civilians caught in conflicts, the United States claimed to be “deeply committed to supporting and advancing international humanitarian law.” [11] In order to uphold this commitment, the international community has specific tasks it must undertake: “preventing conflicts, in the first place, keeping existing conflicts from escalating to mass atrocities, acting early and decisively when they occur, and ensuring that peace-building and post-conflict assistance consolidates peace durably once the conflict ends.” [11] Lastly, Rice confirmed the necessity of PKO's to end violations of international humanitarian law and to safeguard civilians.

As a result, the United States will focus on “effective efforts to support the full and complete deployment of UNAMID so that there is the capacity on the ground to begin to effect that civilian protection.” [10] Several weeks later, Ambassador Rice expressed the United States’ support of the International Criminal Court when they issued a warrant for Sudanese President Bashir's arrest and also of UN Security Council Resolution 1593, which “requires the Government of Sudan and all other parties to the conflict to cooperate fully with the ICC and its prosecutor.” [13] Rice also stated that “no one should use the ICC’s decision as a pretext to incite or launch violence against civilians or international personnel.” [13] After Bashir expelled humanitarian aid groups, the U.S. committed itself to greater efforts “with others to try to avert a deeper humanitarian crisis.” [14] The IO comes out with a series of reports every year to allow people to see what the IO is involved in when it comes to the UN.

[17] The Office of the Inspector General (OIG), under the direction of Steve A. Linick, broadened investigation into allegations by five State Department officials that BIOA political appointees Mari Stull, Kevin Moley, John Zadrozny, and Bethany Kozma may have involved in retaliation against America's diplomatic corps for being insufficiently loyal to President Trump and his domestic policies.