CNN —The Senate Foreign Relations Committee’s new chairman is going to block a controversial tranche of military aid for Egypt, he announced Saturday.
Sen. Ben Cardin’s last-minute decision on the day of the September 30 deadline followed backlash over the State Department’s recent decision to use a national security waiver to bypass human rights-related restrictions imposed on $235 million in aid.
The block comes after the committee’s previous chairman, Sen. Bob Menendez, was indicted on corruption charges over accusations that he accepted bribes to help Egypt obtain military aid.
Critics, including Cardin, said Secretary of State Antony Blinken should not have released the $235 million balance on the $320 million tranche of military aid.
The White House referred questions to the State Department, which did not immediately respond to CNN’s request for comment.
Persons:
Sen, Ben Cardin’s, Bob Menendez, ” Cardin, Cardin, ”, Antony Blinken, Cardin’s, Abdel Fattah el
Organizations:
CNN, Relations, State, New, New Jersey Democrat, Maryland Democrat, Biden, State Department
Locations:
Egypt, New Jersey, Maryland, Taiwan, Lebanon