Senate rejects Rand Paul-backed plan to end Egypt aid

[ProSense]

Senate rejects Rand Paul-backed plan to end Egypt aid

Posted by
CNN Capitol Hill reporter Lisa Desjardins

(CNN) - The Senate on Wednesday defeated a proposal to cut off U.S. aid to Egypt. The measure, pushed by Republican Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky in the wake of the military takeover in Egypt, only got the backing of 13 senators.

The measure would have shut off $1.5 billion in aid to Cairo.

The proposal from Paul was not new. A similar measure of his received just 10 votes last fall.

Both parties have internal disagreements over this issue, but Democrats said earlier this week the vote may be tougher for Republicans, who are divided between libertarian sentiments against foreign aid and conservative bullishness to use funding as leverage overseas.

For the White House, the vote came as officials try to thread a slim policy needle, refusing to determine whether the military takeover of the Egyptian government was a coup. If it were officially labeled as a coup, U.S. law dictates that foreign aid should stop.

- more -

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2013/07/31/senate-rejects-rand-paul-backed-plan-to-end-egypt-aid/comment-page-1/

The vote was 86 - 13.

Roll call: http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=113&session=1&vote=00195

[ProSense]

1. Kick! n/t

[Rex]

2. Quick! Some get out a map and see if Rand can point

to where Egypt is! I bet he cannot.

[ProSense]

3. Rand hates foreign aid.

Come to think of it Rand hates all aid.

Actually, Rand wants to abolish the government.

[Rex]

4. Instead of drowning it in a bath tub

he would rather blow it up with dynamite! His idea of a perfect country is Atlas Shrugged.

[Scurrilous]

5. @#$% Rand Paul.

[customerserviceguy]

6. I have to find this a canny move by Paul

Two things are going to happen in Egypt, the first is that things will turn out OK, and this vote will be forgotten. The second is that the shit will hit the fan, and then he looks prescient.

It's hard to find a game where you can only win, and not lose.

[NuclearDem]

7. Rand Paul might be a nutcase

But we do have to cut off military aid to the coup.