Senate Releases State and Foreign Operations Appropriations Bill

Senator Patrick Leahy (D-VT) introduced S.1601, the Department of State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Appropriations Act, 2012 and its accompanying report.  The press release noted the committee’s difficult task of funding more with less, including “responding to the turbulent events in the Middle East and North Africa,” with a total budget of $44.64 billion, which is $6.15 billion below the President’s request.  On the Middle East and North Africa:  “The Committee fully funds assistance for these countries, including authority for enterprise funds in Egypt, Tunisia, and Jordan, and for debt relief for Egypt, and includes conditions on [military assistance to] Egypt relating to free and fair elections. The bill includes a prohibition on economic assistance for the Palestinian Authority if it becomes a member or non-member state of the UN, with a national security interest waiver. The bill also includes a prohibition on assistance to a government over which Hamas exercises undue influence.”

 

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