Congress is expected today to conclude its long-delayed action on foreign aid appropriations. The House yesterday adopted by a 238-169 vote a 1977 foreign aid bill totaling $4.96 billion, including $1.735 billion for Israel. The Senate is expected to act on it today. The appropriation for Israel for the fiscal year which starts Oct. I includes $1 billion in foreign military credit sales, of which half can be forgiven, and $735 million in economic aid.
The bill also provides $700 million for Egypt, $70 million for Jordan and $80 million for Syria, all of it in economic aid. Jordan will also receive additional funds under the military assistance, the international military education and training, and the military credit sales programs, but the specific sums were not earmarked.
In addition, $35 million will be available for the Middle East in a special requirements fund. But the bill bans use of any of this money for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East.
The Senate yesterday by a voice vote adopted the $5.6 billion foreign aid bill for the 1976 fiscal year which ended today and the transitional quarter between the 1976 and 1977 fiscal years. The bill was approved earlier by the House. It has now gone to President Ford for his signature.
This bill includes $275 million in transitional quarter aid for Israel. A dispute between the Ford Administration and Congressional supporters of Israel over the transitional quarter funding had delayed the adoption of the foreign aid programs.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
