Obama admin. hit for giving Egypt $250M

Posted: Mar 5, 2013

In part: The Obama administration is facing criticism for giving $250 million in aid to Egypt while saying the recent sequester has forced drastic cutbacks elsewhere in the budget -- including forcing the release of "low-priority" illegal immigrants from jail. "With sequestration forcing our nation to face billions of dollars in cuts across the government, it is unfathomable that the administration would send funds unconditionally to the Muslim Brotherhood-led government," Republican Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, former chairwoman of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, told FoxNews.com on Tuesday. Under the rules of sequestration, the cuts are across the board, which means government leaders have little flexibility in shifting money within programs or departments, including the Pentagon. Some in Congress have floated the idea of giving the administration that flexibility, but nothing has passed so far. Further, the money for foreign aid is originally appropriated by Congress. Still, it's all taxpayer money. The $250 million amount -- which in this case includes $190 million from a total of $450 million earmarked for Egypt -- theoretically could go a long way toward defraying other sequester cuts. But in taking a look through other federal sequester cuts, here's what else $250 million could restore: U.S. Marshals Service, salaries and expenses: $59 million Food Safety and Inspection Service: $53 million FEMA, salaries and expenses: $52 million Federal Air Marshals: $49 million Border Security Fencing, Infrastructure, and Technology (for Customs and Border Protection): $20 million September 11th Victim Compensation (general fund): $16 million Defense Nuclear Waste Disposal: $1 million Here's what $450 million could restore: U.S. Secret Service: $84 million Marshals Service, salaries and expenses: $59 million Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service: $56 million Food Safety and Inspection Service: $53 million FEMA, salaries and expenses: $52 million Federal Air Marshals: $49 million Court Security: $25 million Army, family housing construction: $24 million Border Security Fencing, Infrastructure, and Technology (for Customs and Border Protection): $20 million September 11th Victim Compensation (general fund): $16 million CDC, World Trade Center Health Program Fund: $10 million FEMA, Radiological Emergency Preparedness Program: $2 million Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2013/03/05/obama-hit-for-giving-egypt-250m-as-domestic-spending-cuts-hit-home/#ixzz2Mj124QNd;