Congress Killed Multiple Bills Criticizing Egypt

[Jefferson23]

Feb 3 2011, 5:28 PM ET

In the past two years, at least three lawmakers have introduced non-binding bills calling for political reform in Egypt. Each bill died in committee without a vote.

The Cable's Josh Rogin reported this week that a Senate bill introduced by John McCain and former Sen. Russ Feingold (D-Wisc.) was killed late last year by two anonymous Democrats, who placed holds on it.

That bill had called on President Hosni Mubarak to end his emergency law and for Egypt to take steps toward free and fair elections. It also called on Egypt to end torture and "arbitrary detentions" of journalists and human-rights activists.

Former House Speaker-elect Bob Livingston (R), one of Egypt's lobbyists, had personally lobbied against the resolution. It was modified after two senators--Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) and Roger Wicker (R-Miss.)--sought changes, but two Democrats still anonymously ended its prospects.

A House resolution, introduced by Rep. Frank Wolf (R-Va.), went even further in criticizing President Hosni Mubarak's regime. It never saw a vote in the House Foreign Affairs Committee, then chaired by Rep. Howard Berman (D-Calif.), after Wolf introduced it in February 2009.

remainder here: http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2011/02/congress-killed-multiple-bills-criticizing-egypt/70748/

[slipslidingaway]

1. Interesting, thanks knr nt

[slipslidingaway]

2. kick n/t

[boppers]

3. And the Turkey/Armenia symbolic bills come up annually...

What of it?

[Jefferson23]

4. They should have killed it? I'm not sure what your point is. n/t

[boppers]

5. I guess my point is that this is only relevant in hindsight.

All the other killed bills about crappy situations around the world aren't getting press, but these are.

[Jefferson23]

6. I believe if they had acted in good faith and were diligent at their job

we would have had a chance to be on the right side ...the side of the people, a pro active move.