Leahy Ties Egyptian Aid to NGO Raids

In a statement on the Senate floor, Senator Patrick Leahy (D-VT), chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee’s Subcommittee on the State Department and Foreign Operations, laid out a strong declaration tying Egyptian aid to the recent NGO raids. Leahy noted there has been progress in Egypt exemplified by elections which have seated a new parliament, but infringements on due process, and the raids on the NGOs – that aim to promote democracy and human rights – hindered freedom of  expression and association. Leahy noted the Washington Post editorial, that called Faiza Aboul Naga,  minister of International Cooperation,  “a civilian holdover from the Mubarak regime” and “an ambitious demagogue [who] is…whipping up nationalist sentiment against the United States as a way of attacking liberal opponents at home.”  Leahy declared that he “strongly believe[s] that no future U.S. Government funds should be provided to or through that ministry as long as she is in charge.  ”As the chair of the Appropriations Committee’s Subcommittee on the State Department and Foreign Operations, I am confident there is strong support in Congress for this position.”   Leahy concluded, the “days of blank checks are over” for the military.

Leahy’s statement followed Senators Carl Levin (D-MI) and John McCain (R-AZ), leaders of the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee, reporting to Foreign Policy that the recent actions taken against NGOs operating in Egypt  ”jeopardizes a normal relationship.”