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US senator denied from moving vote on Pak aid cutoff bill

September 13, 2012 15:18 IST
The majority Democratic leadership in the United States Senate prevented a key Republican Senator from moving a vote on his amendment that if passed would have

cut off all US aid to Pakistan till release of the imprisoned physician who helped the Central Intelligence Agency trace Osama bin Laden.

"Not one more penny of American taxpayer dollars should go to Pakistan until the doctor who helped us get bin Laden is freed," Senator Rand Paul said on Senate floor on Wednesday as he moved the amendment in this regard.

In a statement, Senator Rand Paul said that the senate majority leader, Harry Reid, blocked his attempt to allow a vote on his Pakistan amendment, as well as a new amendment cutting funding to Egypt and Libya pending the discovery and

release to FBI authorities the perpetrators of attacks on US consulate and US embassy.

The two amendments were introduced on Wednesday evening.

"Today we are reminded that our enemies are relentless but we are also reminded that our so-called allies are often not acting like allies at all. We are saddened by the assassination of Ambassador Stevens and his fellow workers. And we are appalled by lack of  protection of our embassies by supposed allies. We send billions of taxpayer dollars abroad and what do we get in return? Disrespect, disdain, and ultimately violence," Paul said moving his amendments.

"I have two amendments I wish to call down. First, not one penny of American taxpayer dollars should go to Libya until the murderers are delivered to justice. And not one more penny should go to Egypt until they prove that they are willing and able to protect our embassy," he said, adding that the second amendment was related to Pakistan.

Early this week, Paul had written a letter to Harry Reid seeking a vote on his Pak amendment.

"Because of the urgency of seeing that Afridi is freed, I am prepared to pursue any and all means to secure a vote on my bill immediately, including objecting to other Senate business and recessing the Senate for the election," Paul wrote in a letter on Monday to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid.

Lalit K Jha in Washington
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