CQ TODAY ONLINE NEWS
Feb. 14, 2012 – 2:40 p.m.
Senate Works to Strike Right Tone on Egypt
By Emily Cadei, CQ Staff
Senate support is coalescing around a formal condemnation of Egypt for its treatment of democracy-promoting groups, but individual lawmakers differ on just how tough to get with Cairo.
Other lawmakers, however, are pushing a more diplomatic tack. Senate Foreign Relations Chairman
The resolution, approved by voice vote, calls on the Egyptian government to stop its intimidation and prosecution of the activists, as well as to allow non-Egyptian workers to leave the country.
“In essence,” Lugar said, “it expresses our concern about the potential charges against the people who are working for democracy in Egypt.”
Kerry called the Senate panel’s action the “first step in sending a signal that American patience is being tested.”
Egypt’s military-led interim government has charged dozens of staff members of Western pro-democracy groups, including 19 Americans who work for the International Republican Institute, the National Democratic Institute and Freedom House.
The presidents of the three organizations will testify before the House Foreign Affairs Committee on Thursday.
Lugar declined to “editorialize” on Paul’s proposal, but he said that the Foreign Relations Committee chose to express similar concerns “in a more tempered way.”
Other senators were more direct in rejecting Paul’s proposal.
A cutoff in aid “is something that is the final measure, and we’re a long way from there yet,”
Such a step also is probably unnecessary in the short term. Even without a formal prohibition on aid, the Obama administration has privately reassured leading lawmakers involved in foreign affairs that it is not currently seeking to move any assistance to Egypt, staff members say.
Alternative Resolutions
Senate Works to Strike Right Tone on Egypt
McCain said that instead of legislation enforcing a freeze in assistance, he is “in favor of a resolution that highlights how important this issue is.” And he confirmed that he is “working on a resolution, and others are working on other resolutions, as well.”
Sen.
“I haven’t seen Sen. Paul’s resolution in detail, but I can tell you aid remains the only leverage we have left in that part of the world,” Rubio said. “That being said, we cannot allow what’s going on there to continue without our voices being heard and ultimately having to use that leverage if we have to.”
In remarks on the Senate floor Tuesday, Paul complained that Egypt has so far been deaf to American appeals on behalf of the affected democracy groups and their American staff members.
“The amendment that I’ve proposed will end all aid to Egypt, economic aid and military aid,” Paul said. “Some have said the provisions that we already have take care of this. There’s a couple of problems: The Egyptians aren’t hearing that message, so the message needs to be louder and more firm. . . . I think Egypt needs to know that America means business.”
McCain and four of his Senate colleagues from both parties will get a chance to deliver Capitol Hill’s message directly when they visit Egypt at the end of the week, a trip that was planned before the current crisis over the non-government organization workers erupted in late December. The delegation will meet with Egypt’s military leader, Mohammed Hussein Tantawi, and others.
McCain said they expect to have “a serious conversation” about the issue, although they will not engage in negotiations.
“That’s the role of the executive branch,” he said.
Joanna Anderson contributed to this story.