Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., the chairman of the subcommittee, and the panel’s top Republican, Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, said money for Pakistan was cut 58 percent from Obama’s request as lawmakers question Islamabad’s commitment to the fight against terrorism and as resentment lingers on Capitol Hill a year after Osama bin Laden was killed deep inside Pakistan. Tensions have increased as Pakistan closed overland supply routes to Afghanistan after a U.S. attack on the Pakistani side of the border killed 24 Pakistani soldiers in November.
The bill would provide $1 billion in aid to Pakistan, including $184 million for State Department operations and $800 million for foreign assistance. Counterinsurgency money for Pakistan would be limited to $50 million. The legislation also conditions the counterinsurgency aid on Pakistan reopening the supply routes.
Islamabad won’t get any of the funds for counterinsurgency or money in prior legislation unless the secretary of State certifies to the Appropriations committees that “the government of Pakistan has reopened overland cargo routes available to support United States and North Atlantic Treaty Organization troops in Afghanistan, and funds appropriated under this heading can be used efficiently and effectively by the end of the fiscal year,” the legislation says
If the secretary can’t certify to Congress, the money would be transferred to other accounts.
The panel also cut $5 million from the $250 million in economic assistance for Egypt. Graham said it equaled the amount the U.S. spent to get non-government workers out earlier this year, including Sam LaHood, son of Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood.
“We got our money back,” Graham said.
The remaining aid, totaling more than $1.2 billion, is conditioned on Cairo adhering to the peace treaty between Israel and Egypt and conducting an orderly transition to civilian control.
Funds for Afghanistan that Obama sought were cut 28 percent to $3.5 billion to reflect that the Afghans are taking a greater lead in the country and the United States is reducing its civilian and military presence.
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Businessweek (abridged)