Menendez – Corker Legislation Allows the Administration to Offer Continued Security and Economic Assistance to Egypt Provided Certain Benchmarks are Met
Washington, DC – The bipartisan Egypt Assistance Reform Act of 2013 authored by Chairman Robert Menendez and Ranking Member Bob Corker passed the Senate Foreign Relations Committee today.
“This legislation reaffirms the enduring U.S. commitment to our partnership with the Egyptian government by authorizing continued assistance and endorsing the importance of ongoing cooperation. Assistance however is not a blank check; it should be used for programs that support the Egyptian people as they pursue political and economic reform,” said Chairman Robert Menendez.
Any assistance provided to Egypt must be in the national security interest of the United States. To receive that assistance, the Egyptian government must meet certain security and economic assistance benchmarks like adherence to the Israel-Egypt Peace Treaty, cooperating on counter terrorism, and taking steps to consolidate their democratic transition.
The Menendez – Corker bill also revises restrictions on providing assistance in future scenarios when a coup d’état occurs in a country. Under current law, the coup provision has been included within annual appropriations bills. The legislation transfers this authority, making it part of the Foreign Assistance Act (FAA).
The legislation can be found here.
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