June 28, 2005

Rep. Pitts calls on Congress to redirect funds for Egypt’s military to fighting malaria in Africa

Washington —Citing the government’s ongoing obstruction of democratic reforms, widespread human rights abuses, and unwarranted military buildup, Congressman Joe Pitts (R, PA-16) this morning took to the House floor to call on Congress to redirect its subsidy of Egypt ’s military.  He will introduce an amendment this afternoon to H.R. 3057, the FY2006 Foreign Operations appropriations bill that will redirect $750 million in Egypt ’s military aid to programs that fight malaria in Africa .  The reprogramming of funding will save taxpayers $400 million, according to the Congressional Budget Office.

“Today,” said Congressman Pitts, “we will debate whether to keep pouring money in Egypt just to subsidize its military expansion.  Egypt and the United States are good friends and strong allies.  That’s why this debate is so important.

“Each year, we give Egypt $1.3 billion in military aid.  But I’m concerned that the money seems to do reinforce a regime that refuses change and excuses oppression.  I think this military aid is money that can be better spent.  And today I will offer an amendment redirecting some of this military aid to fighting malaria, a preventable disease that kills as many as 3 million people each year. 

“While we have a strategic responsibility to support allies, we have a moral obligation to fight disease where we can.  Reducing Egypt ’s funding by $750 million will serve as a wake-up call.  We will not indefinitely subsidize foreign militaries at the expense of children’s lives, particularly when that nation faces no immediate military threat and votes against us 91 percent of the time at the UN.  Today, we will make that clear,” said Congressman Pitts on the House floor.

Background

If enacted, the Pitts Amendment to the FY06 Foreign Operations Appropriations Act (H.R. 3057) would reduce Egypt’s Foreign Military Financing (FMF) account, funded at $1.3 billion, by $750 million and increase USAID’s Child Survival and Health account for “other infectious diseases” (particularly malaria) by that same amount.  According to CBO, this transfer will result in a savings of $400 million.

Since 1979, Egypt has been the second largest recipient of U.S. foreign assistance, receiving an annual average of over $2 billion in economic and military aid.  The United States has provided $12.992 billion in military grants, and $10.2 million in International Military Education and Training funds over the past 10 years, an average of just over $1.3 billion per year.

While Egypt is a strategic ally in the Middle East , according to the U.S. State Department, Egyptian police routinely use torture to extract confessions and detain suspects without charge or trial.  Freedom of assembly has been constricted because the government fears violence associated with some public demonstrations.  Additionally, many newspapers are partially government-owned and tend to follow the government line.

Egyptian authorities have harassed and imprisoned opposition party candidates, and the government has failed to hold free, fair, transparent, and democratic elections.  Religious minorities still face discrimination and persecution. 

After pulling its ambassador out of Israel in November 2000, it has taken close to five years for Egypt to agree to return its ambassador to Tel Aviv.  Finally, Egypt is conducting a large-scale military buildup with no imminent threat to its security in the region.  FMF funding for Egypt that is currently going toward M-1 tanks and Patriot missile batteries could go to malaria treatment and prevention activities for children in Africa .

More than one million people die from malaria every year.  Some studies indicate that there may be as many as 3 million deaths per year due to malaria.  Up to 90 percent of these deaths occur in Africa , and 90 percent are children under the age of the age of five.  In Africa , malaria causes about 18 percent of all deaths in children under the age of five.  Though it is difficult to accurately assess the scale of the disease, WHO estimates that 40 percent of the world’s population is at risk of malaria, and there are between 350 and 500 million clinical cases every year.

Malaria disproportionately affects the poor, with 58 percent of malaria deaths occurring in the poorest 20 percent of the world’s population – a higher percentage than for any other disease of major public health importance.  And, recent research has demonstrated that the poorest 20 percent of people in selected developing countries were as much as 2.5 times less likely to receive basic public health services as the 20 percent in the next income bracket. 

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