Following a classified meeting with senators, Secretary of State Hillary Clintonannounced that the U.S. will reprogram $150 million for Egypt to help support the country’s democratic transition and assist with their economic recovery. She also announced that Under Secretaryfor Political Affairs William J. Burns and senior White House advisor on international economics David Lipton will travel to Egypt next week to consult with their Egyptian counterparts on how the U.S. can most effectively deploy our assistance in line with their priorities. During the meeting, government officials also discussed the lessons of events in Egypt and the Middle East, the need for the United States to remain fully engaged around the world, and the negative consequences of cuts in H.R.1, the continuing resolution on FY2011 funding, will have on national security. Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General James E. Cartwright added, “Everybody sees the soldier out there in Iraq and Afghanistan, but with every soldier, there is an element associated with either the State Department, our diplomatic corps, USAID. And they’re absolutely essential.”
