Sen. Kenneth B. Keating, New York Republican, said today in the Senate that the language in the Foreign Aid Bill passed by the House, pertaining to diversion of aid by Egypt for military purposes, was “not entirely satisfactory.” and that, if possible, he will seek to have the Senate version “strengthened.”
In any event, he served notice that he would lead a fight to retain at least the present House version of the old Keating-Halpern amendment.
Sen. Keating drew attention of the Senate to a letter by national commander Daniel Heller, of the Jewish War Veterans, to President Kennedy, opposing further aid to Egypt in view of that country’s aggressive military expenditures. He voiced agreement with the JWV, and said “their position deserves the consideration and careful attention of the Senate.”
Noting the large amount of Egypt’s budget devoted to military preparations, Sen. Keating stated that there was “no reason in the world why the U. S. taxpayers should in any way subsidize Nasser’s military build-up against the State of Israel.” He said that “it is clearly absurd to permit U.S. aid to be used not for economic development but for the personal ambitions and aggressions of President Nasser.”
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