The United States should give more aid to North African and Middle Eastern countries undergoing political transition, according to a U.S. legislator whose political party has been showing keenness to reduce the country’s international affairs budget.
“Foreign aid is a very complicated, controversial topic, particularly when you’re broke. But … it is good for the American people and the American government to reach out and help those who live in peace with us,” the Miami Herald quotes Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), who was speaking before the Columbia Rotary Club in South Carolina.
Graham, who is the ranking Republican on the Senate Appropriations subcommittee on State, foreign operations and related programs, said he is preparing a reform legislation that would provide $1 billion worth of U.S. aid to Egypt.
With this most recent call for aid to Egypt, Graham appears to the be one of few Republicans who support an increase in U.S. foreign aid spending. The majority of Republican members of the U.S. Congress, particularly those in the House of Representatives, are keen on reducing the budgets of U.S. international programs as lawmakers try to the identify savings in the country’s federal budget.
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