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Summary US Republicans moved to cut aid to several of Israel's neighbours and to tighten control of Pak aid.
They vowed to get tough on militants and tame US spending.The Republican-led House Foreign Affairs Committee pushed a range of issues in a spending bill for the fiscal year starting in October, including cutting US contributions to the United Nations and restricting funding for abortion.But to come into force, Republican lawmakers will need to reach a compromise with the Senate where President Barack Obamas Democratic Party retains control and is mostly supportive of the administrations international engagements.The House spending bill would end decades of US security aid to Egypt, where protests swept out President Hosni Mubarak in February, unless the new leaders fully implement a peace treaty with Israel and exclude the Muslim Brotherhood.The Republicans would also cut off security assistance to Lebanon, the Palestinian Authority and Yemen if Islamic militant movements such as Hezbollah and Hamas hold any position in government.The Republican bill would also make the civilian aid contingent on measurable progress by Pakistan in fighting Islamic militants.Representative Howard Berman, the top Democrat on the committee and a main author of the 2009 bill, said he agreed on the need to get tough with Pakistan but disagreed on restrictions over civilian aid.
