Washington, DC – Foreign Policy for America thanks Senator Ben Cardin, chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, for formally blocking in full the $320 million in FY22 military aid appropriated to Egypt based on its poor human rights practices.
This is an important first act of leadership for the new chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Together with yesterday’s call by Representative Gregory W. Meeks, ranking member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, to the Biden Administration to withhold this military package, Senator Cardin’s action here is sending an unequivocal message that the United States Congress is committed – and will take concrete steps – to hold governments accountable for their human rights practices.
Senator Cardin’s additional commitment to apply stricter scrutiny to future military aid going to Egypt is commendable. Following allegations of the Egyptian government’s corrupt efforts to influence the U.S. military aid process, in addition to longstanding concerns surrounding its human rights practices, the Chairman is right to clearly lay out the conditions that must improve for our bilateral relationship to be sustained.
FP4A looks forward to working with Senator Cardin, other Congressional leaders, and the Biden Administration to maintain integrity and accountability in our foreign military financing process.
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