The Senate Foreign Relations Committee reported out a Senate version of the House Foreign Aid Bill today that retained an authorization for $40 million in desalination funds for Israel and other sums for Israeli institutions. The desalination item was included in the authorization for development loan funds.
An effort was made by the Department of State and the U.S. Agency for International Development, to delete the desalination authorization. But the House-approved measure nevertheless passed another hurdle by emerging from the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
Sen. Gaylord Nelson, Wisconsin Democrat, and 23 colleagues of both parties are sponsoring the desalting amendment in the Senate. It corresponds with the measure introduced in the House by Rep. Benjamin Rosenthal, New York Democrat, and Rep. Peter Frelinghuysen. New Jersey Republican. The House acted favorably after desalination experts told the House Foreign Affairs Committee of the desirability of a joint American-Israeli Desalting undertaking. Final action by the Senate is expected by the end of this week.
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