The Senate Appropriations Committee gave a green light yesterday to a $5.3 billion foreign military and economic aid program for the current fiscal year which includes a 25 percent increment to cover the transitional quarter July 1-Oct. 1 between the end of fiscal 1976 and the beginning of fiscal 1977. The funding for the transitional quarter would provide Israel with an additional $550 million, making up for the $500 million the Ford Administration had earlier chopped from its aid recommendations for Israel.
In adopting the foreign aid measure by voice vote with no opposition, the committee, headed by Sen. John McClellan (D.Ark.), endorsed earlier action by its subcommittee on foreign appropriations headed by Sen. Daniel Inouye (D.Hawail). Although the House omitted funding for the transitional quarter from an otherwise identical bill it adopted two weeks ago, it is expected to accept the additional appropriation when the final foreign aid package is hammered out by a Senate-House conference committee. The Senate is considered virtually certain to adopt its appropriations committee’s measure when it comes to the floor for a vote next week.
The House bill’s omission of the transitional funding stemmed from the fact that President Ford did not provide the legislation for it and left it to Congress to take the responsibility during a difficult economic year in which all of the House and a third of the Senate is up for election, the Jewish. Telegraphic Agency was told. But the JTA was informed that the President indicated only yesterday that he would accept the extra funding proviso if Congress approves it.
Apart from the transitional quarter funding, the foreign aid package earmarks $1.5 million in military credits for Israel with the stipulation that up to half of that amount may be forgiven by the President.
In security assistance, Israel is allocated $700 million, Egypt $695 million, Syria $80 million, Jordan $72.5 million. The latter country will also receive about $150 million in military grants and credits. The transitional quarter allowance, if finally adopted into law, would provide Israel with an extra $550 million for the three-month period and Egypt with an additional $146 million.
Sen, Edward Brooke (R.Mass.) was instrumental in assuring that the bill includes the $15 million approved by the House to assist Israel in resettling immigrants from the Soviet Union. The Senate subcommittee had voted to cut that amount to $12 million, but at Brooke’s insistence the full appropriations committee restored the original sum.
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.
