$49B State funding bill restores aid to Egypt

The House released a $49 billion State and Foreign Operations funding bill for 2014 on Monday that restores $1.5 billion in annual aid to Egypt that was partly suspended after the military ousted the country’s democratically elected president last summer.

it was the State Department section of the $1.012 trillion omnibus spending bill released Monday by House and Senate appropriators.

The bill also prohibits funding for implementation of the UN Arms Trade Treaty, which is opposed by the NRA. And it bars funding for UNESCO after the UN cultural agency recognized Palestine as a member state and prohibits aid to Libya unless the State Department certifies that the country is helping bring to justice the perpetrators of the 2012 terrorist attack on the U.S. mission in Benghazi.

{mosads}The Egypt aid can be restored “if certain conditions are met,” according to a fact sheet from the House Appropriations panel, “including maintaining the strategic relationship with the United States, upholding the peace treaty with Israel, and meeting milestones Egyptians have set for their political transition.”

The funding level is down $4.5 billion from last year’s $53.6 billion appropriation.

According to committee Democrats, highlights include:

• $6.52 billion for Overseas Contingency Operations (OCO), which is $4.68 billion less than the 2013 enacted level;

• $7.99 billion for Diplomatic and Consular Programs, including $1.9 billion for Worldwide Security Protection, which is $1.7 billion less than the 2013 enacted level due to significant carryover from prior year funds;

• $8.44 billion for Global Health, which is $37 million less than the 2013 enacted level but $380 million more than the post-sequester level;

• $2.51 billion for Development Assistance, which is $13 million less than the 2013 enacted level but $115 million more than the post-sequester level;

• $4.64 billion for Economic Support Funds (ESF), which is $1.48 billion less than the 2013 enacted level;

• $5.9 billion for Foreign Military Financing (FMF), which is $393 million less than the 2013 enacted level;

• $1.14 billion in base funding for U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Operating Expenses, which is $207 million less than the 2013 enacted level;

• $898.2 million for the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC), which is equal to the 2013 enacted level;

• $2.67 billion for Embassy Security, Construction and Maintenance, which is $224 million less than the 2013 enacted level;

• $4.91 billion in total funding for humanitarian assistance accounts, which is $491 million more than the 2013 enacted level.

• $575 million for bilateral family planning, which is equal to the 2013 enacted level.

The final agreement does not include a policy rider codifying the ‘Global Gag Rule,’ which prohibits non-governmental organizations (NGOs) receiving federal funds from providing women information about certain health services.

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