|
 The panel passed the measure by a 16-1 vote hours after Egypt's
public prosecutor escalated a crackdown on the movement that brought
Mursi to power by charging the ousted president and 35 other leading
Islamists with international conspiracy.
Backers of the legislation — which could set a precedent for U.S.
aid to any country after a coup — said it struck an appropriate
balance between pushing Cairo to embrace democratic reforms and
continuing the U.S. commitment to Egypt.
The "Egypt Assistance Reform Act of 2013" allows aid, but makes it
subject to conditions such as adhering to the Israel-Egypt peace
treaty, cooperating on counter-terrorism and taking steps to restore
democracy.
The measure also revises the U.S. "coup law," which bars aid to
countries whose democratically-elected head of state has been
removed in a coup d'etat or by military decree.
President Barack Obama's administration announced on October 9 — after authorities in Cairo used violence to put down protests — that
it would withhold deliveries of tanks, fighter aircraft and other
military equipment, as well as $250 million in cash aid, from
Egypt's military-backed government until it made progress on
democracy and human rights. The administration held off, however,
from officially declaring events in Egypt a coup.
The actions prompted many lawmakers to call for a change in U.S.
policy, worried that Washington was threatening its close
relationship with a country that has been an important ally in an
unstable region.
Wednesday's committee vote cleared the legislation for consideration
by the full Senate, but it was not certain when it might get to the
floor, or whether it would be considered as a standalone bill or as
part of a larger appropriations bill.
"MONEY FOR TEAR GAS"
"Given the scale of U.S. aid and the ongoing strategic significance
of a stable, prosperous Egypt, this total shutdown (of aid) does not
serve, in my view, U.S. or Egypt's interests," said Senator Robert
Menendez, the committee's Democratic chairman.
[to top of second column] |
He also said terms of defense equipment contracts meant the aid
cutoff could cost U.S. taxpayers billions of dollars in default
payments. The Pentagon has for decades had a close relationship with
Egypt's military, which also has been an important customer to U.S.
defense contractors.
The new measure requires the U.S. Secretary of State to determine
whether a coup took place and advise congress of that decision.
It also allows the president to waive the coup law restrictions for
180 days if doing so is deemed to be in the vital U.S. national
security interest and a government is committed to restoring
democracy and the rule of law.
Kentucky Republican Rand Paul, the only member of the committee to
vote against the measure, questioned whether it was a bow to defense
contractors' desire to sell military equipment to Egypt.
"I think it's a mistake to have less restriction on foreign aid. I
think we should have more restriction on foreign aid," Paul said,
adding that U.S. military aid could be used against protesters.
"We're going to give more money for tear gas," he said.
Backers of the measure said their support had nothing to do with
defense spending, insisting the measure is intended to clarify U.S.
policy and support democracy in Egypt.
(Reporting by Patricia Zengerle; editing by Andrew Hay)
[© 2013 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.] Copyright 2013 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published,
broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
 |
