Congress Could Move to Ease the Way for More Aid to Egypt

Remember, months ago, how the story of whether the U.S. would call the military takeover of the Egyptian government a coup or not was a big story? Some members of Congress are apparently hoping that you don't, as the House and Senate prepare to release a spending bill that will restore aid funding to the interim Egyptian government. That's despite continued repression of opposition groups in the country, and the U.S's decision months ago to suspend that aid until "credible progress" was made towards an inclusive democracy in the country. 

The news, first reported by the Daily Beast, comes days before the country is set to vote on a constitutional referendum. According to Human Rights Watch, at least seven activists in the country have been handed criminal charges, apparently just for attempting to hang posters urging Egyptians to vote against the military-backed proposal. 

Apparently, the White House has been asking Congress to restore funding to Egypt for awhile, despite little evidence that the country is progressing toward democratic rule. If anything, the military crackdown on supporters of deposed former president Mohammed Morsi has crystalized. The military-supported interim government declared Morsi's party, the Muslim Brotherhood, to be a terrorist group late in December.

Read more at The Wire.