She may be a Democrat but her head seems to be on straight
While many of the names of House and Senate leaders have been bandied about, most Congressional sources arguably agree that the most important lawmaker is Rep. Nita Lowey, the ranking Democrat from Westchester County, NY. Lowey sits on both the full Appropriations Committee and the key subcommittee governing State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs. Foreign assistance begins and dies in this subcommittee. The Republican side of the aisle has been lining up staunchly against continuing funding and invoking the mandatory legal brakes. This includes subcommittee chairwoman Kay Granger from Dallas, who has asserted that unification “puts in jeopardy future U.S. assistance to the Palestinian Authority.”
The Obama Administration, however, has signaled it is ready to continue funding the new Hamas-infused Palestinian Authority.
Therefore, all eyes now fall on Lowey. For her, this is a leadership moment. Will she break with her party and the Administration?
Lowey’s personal and legislative feelings have been made abundantly clear. “At this point, the law is clear, their actions are clear, and the path forward is clear,” Rep. Nita Lowey told the JTA news service immediately after news of the Hamas union became known in late April.
Monday, June 2, after the unification ceremony finished in Ramallah, Lowey issued this short warning: “I am deeply disappointed with the announcement today of a Palestinian government that includes the terrorist organization Hamas. As long as Hamas rejects the Quartet principles and the existence of the State of Israel, United States funding for this unity government is in jeopardy.”
Early June 4, 2014, a source close to Lowey confirmed her feelings remain unchanged, Indeed, within 10 seconds of asking, he emailed this reporter the relevant section of one of several key legal bars to continued funding. The Consolidated Appropriations Act, in Section 7020, Subsection F, entitled Prohibition to Hamas and the Palestine Liberation Organization, unambiguously declares: “None of the funds appropriated … may be obligated or expended for assistance to Hamas or any entity effectively controlled by Hamas, any power-sharing government of which Hamas is a member, or that results from an agreement with Hamas and over which Hamas exercises undue influence.”
The Lowey source explained, “The law is clear-cut, but what makes it complex is there are also important considerations – are we subjecting ourselves to more danger? For example, is there a particular security assistance program? Should we stop that? Or, is it smarter to keep some of those of those programs going?” The staffer conceded the notion of a drastic cut with carve-outs for special security programs. However, the source added, “The Administration seems to be ‘all systems go’” in terms of unrestricted funding.
Lowey is now posed between the law and common sense on one hand, and her own party and extenuating circumstances on other hand. “Rep. Lowey appreciates the important considerations on all sides,” the source stated. “But, also, this law it is written that way for a reason, and this law has been agreed to by the overall majority of Congress and signed in to law by the President.”
There are presidential override provisions, “but that formal procedure has not yet been invoked,” the Lowey source assured.Will Lowey stand up to Obama? She just might.
Labels: Barack Hussein Obama, Hamas-Fatah reconciliation, Nita Lowey, US foreign aid
posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 1:34 AM
1 Comments:
Carl, Nita Lowey is our Congress Woman...and yes, a Dem. We have never voted for her, BTW. This year we will, with pride, because of her post re Israel. When I read it on Arutz Sheva today, I was very pleasantly surprised!
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