The World : House Votes to Freeze Aid

The House voted, 386 to 2, to freeze foreign aid spending authority at last year’s levels. Israel and Egypt would be exempted from the freeze. The action would hold total foreign aid spending for each of the next two fiscal years to $12.7 billion, which is 2.5% less than recommended by the Foreign Affairs Committee. Under the bill, Israel would receive $4.5 billion in military and economic grants, and Egypt would get $2.1 billion in grants. The Administration opposes the bill, partly because of cuts in military aid to other countries.