[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 113 Introduced in House (IH)]

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115th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. RES. 113

 Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that the United 
 States should continue to authorize cash flow financing to Egypt and 
                   expand other areas of cooperation.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            February 9, 2017

Mr. Rohrabacher submitted the following resolution; which was referred 
 to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition to the Committee 
 on Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the 
  Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall 
           within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
 Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that the United 
 States should continue to authorize cash flow financing to Egypt and 
                   expand other areas of cooperation.

Whereas the United States and the Arab Republic of Egypt have enjoyed decades of 
        cordial and productive relations;
Whereas Egypt is a vital United States ally in a region where many threats 
        emerge and opportunities arise;
Whereas the United States deplores terrorist attacks in Egypt by the Islamic 
        State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) and other terrorist organizations;
Whereas the United States applauds the Egyptian Government for having 
        constructive ties and mutually beneficial relations with Israel and 
        historic relations with its neighbors;
Whereas United States-Egypt relations are stronger when such relations are based 
        on both mutual strategic interests and shared values;
Whereas, after a major popular uprising of 33,000,000 Egyptian citizens on July 
        3, 2013, removed from power former Egyptian President Mohammad Morsi of 
        the Muslim Brotherhood, on June 8, 2014, Abdel Fattah el-Sisi was 
        democratically sworn into office as President of Egypt;
Whereas Egypt maintains the longest standing parliamentary system in the region;
Whereas President el-Sisi has reached out to the minority Christian community in 
        Egypt, calling for unity among all Egyptian citizens regardless of 
        religion;
Whereas President el-Sisi has made courageous, but difficult, economic reforms 
        to put the Egyptian economy back on keel;
Whereas under the first eight months of President el-Sisi's leadership, Egypt's 
        debt fell 13.5 percent;
Whereas Moody's, Fitch, and Standard & Poor's have all upgraded Egypt's credit 
        rating, as a result of its recent economic reforms;
Whereas Egypt has sought to partner with and emulate free societies around the 
        world through its membership and participation in the United Nations, 
        the World Trade Organization, the International Monetary Fund, and the 
        World Bank;
Whereas President el-Sisi continues to defend the rights of all Egyptians 
        without prejudice to religion, ethnicity or origin;
Whereas, on March 31, 2015, President Obama announced that the United States 
        would stop offering cash flow financing (CFF) to Egypt starting in 
        fiscal year 2018;
Whereas CFF is an important financial tool that allows foreign governments to 
        fund United States defense equipment acquisition in installments over 
        time, rather than full payment at once;
Whereas every Presidential administration since 1979, the first year CFF was 
        authorized to Egypt, has provided CFF to Egypt, making President Obama's 
        announcement a departure from long-standing United States policy;
Whereas the extension of CFF further strengthens ties between the United States 
        and Egypt;
Whereas assistance from the Economic Support Fund (ESF) to Egypt has decreased 
        from $815,000,000 in fiscal year 1998 to $241,000,000 in fiscal year 
        2013;
Whereas Congress cut the funding to Egypt from the ESF to $200,000,000 in fiscal 
        year 2014 and to $150,000,000 in fiscal year 2015;
Whereas the Obama Administration's request for assistance to Egypt from the ESF 
        for fiscal year 2016 and fiscal year 2017 was $150,000,000;
Whereas coupled with the diminishing economic assistance from the United States, 
        the refusal to authorize CFF to Egypt limits Egypt's ability to provide 
        regional stability, adequately combat terrorism, and further develop its 
        internal economy;
Whereas these developments also weaken the United States-Egyptian bilateral 
        relationship;
Whereas the Qualified Industrial Zones (QIZ) are designated geographical areas 
        in Egypt, the products of which are granted duty free access to United 
        States markets provided such products meet specific targets of inputs 
        from Israel;
Whereas there are over 15 Qualified Industrial Zones in Egypt which host over 
        700 qualifying companies;
Whereas companies operating within such zones have enjoyed more than 
        $1,000,000,000 in annual sales;
Whereas other benefits of the QIZ program include enhancing economic cooperation 
        between Egypt and Israel, lower unemployment, and ever expanding 
        business;
Whereas education remains another important area of cooperation between the 
        United States and Egypt; and
Whereas the Egyptian economy has suffered tremendously in the past five years 
        with an extreme slowdown in economic growth, a major reduction in 
        foreign reserves, a diminishing inflow of income from tourism, a 
        significant expense fighting terrorism, and management of a difficult 
        economic transition with some, but not sufficient, assistance from the 
        IMF: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) reaffirms its commitment to the fruitful alliance 
        between Egypt and the United States;
            (2) sends its thoughts and prayers to the victims of 
        terrorism in Egypt;
            (3) stands with the people and the Government of Egypt in 
        the face of terrorism;
            (4) stresses the importance of continuing to provide Egypt 
        with the current levels of military assistance;
            (5) calls for an increase to pre-fiscal year 2009 levels of 
        United States economic aid to Egypt;
            (6) calls for the President to reinstate cash flow 
        financing (CFF) to Egypt in 2018, and afterwards;
            (7) reaffirms the importance of the United States providing 
        a $10,000,000,000 loan guarantee for five years;
            (8) calls for the expansion of the QIZ program; and
            (9) supports greater academic cooperation between the 
        United States and Egypt, to include the extension of more 
        scholarships to Egyptian students studying in the United 
        States.
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