Foreign Aid

Bill and Hillary Clinton joined hands with Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) and a bevy of celebrities Monday to launch a $300 million industrial park in the northern part of the country that represents the centerpiece of U.S. and international efforts to rebuild the Caribbean nation after its 2010 earthquake. Read more...

A U.S.-based nonprofit group dedicated to improving U.S.-Egyptian ties is launching an advocacy campaign to get Congress to release $450 million in foreign aid that's being held up by the chairwoman of the Appropriations subcommittee on State and Foreign Operations.

The American Egyptian Strategic Alliance announced in a statement that it would encourage its “vast network of relationships across the United States” to ask Rep. Kay Granger (R-Texas) to lift her hold on the money. 

“During these unprecedented times in the region, AESA believes it is important that the U.S. stands firm in protecting our national security interests by fully supporting the democratic aspirations of the Egyptian people,” the group, which represents American-Egyptians and Egyptian supporters, said in a statement. “The $450 million USD is desperately needed by Egypt to help its people — especially the youth — who have struggled economically after the January 25 Revolution. These funds will create the opportunity to drive innovation and a market economy that will work with the western world and further support a new, budding democracy.”

Lawmakers were left shaking their heads after Pakistan’s leader demanded that the United Nations make blasphemy illegal

Romney joked about Bill Clinton introducing him, saying he just has to "wait a couple days for that bounce."

Passed by the House last week, the six-month CR now goes to President Obama's desk to be signed into law

Rand Paul said people of the Middle East hate America because they see U.S. foreign aid propping up their dictators.

Your morning global affairs speed-read

Congress tries to wrap things up today before heading out of town. Senate leaders are still trying to work out when to vote on Sen. Rand Paul's (R-Ky.) bill to cut foreign aid to Egypt, Libya and Pakistan, and on Sen. Lindsey Graham's (R-S.C.) Iran resolution after a deal on the bills was scuttled Thursday evening.

Africa gets its day: Rep. Karen Bass (D-Calif.), the top Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee's Africa panel, and the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation host a day-long discussion on “Africa Rising” at the Washington Convention Center. More information is available here. 

The U.S. government made a $70,000 ad buy on Pakistani TV condemning the anti-Islamic video that has sparked protests across the Middle East and led to the U.S ambassador to Libya’s death.

As tens of thousands of protesters gathered in Islamabad, Pakistan, on Thursday, the State Department announced it had bugun running a series of public service announcements that feature clips of President Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton condemning the film.

Purchases like this are regularly made in places like Pakistan, said State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland.

Majority Leader Reid said Republicans have been hiding behind Sen. Paul's obstruction because a CR vote will reveal GOP divisions.

House Majority Leader Cantor said "we will not tolerate policies that give any ground to terrorists or undermine our security."