Thursday's global agenda: Foreign aid bill under the microscope

[Valin]

The Hill:

Julian Pecquet

05/17/12

 

The House Appropriations Committee this morning marks up the $40.1 billion spending bill for foreign aid and other State Department programs. Expect spirited debate on funding for Pakistan; the ban on funding for foreign organizations that “provide or promote” abortions; and the defunding of the United Nations' Population Fund, which Republicans have tied to China's single-child policy.

 

Israel: The Obama administration is expected to announce $680 million for Israel’s Iron Dome missile system during a meeting between Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak and his U.S. counterpart Leon Panetta at the Pentagon today. The sum is included in both the House Armed Services Defense authorization bill and the House Defense Appropriations bill.

 

Iran: The full House Foreign Affairs Committee holds a hearing on Iran sanctions, focusing on implementation and enforcement. The hearing comes after reports Wednesday that Iran is installing new centrifuges at an underground nuclear facility, one week before negotiations are set to resume regarding Iran’s nuclear program.

 

(Snip)