WASHINGTON—U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Chairman of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on Near East, South Asia, Central Asia and Counterterrorism, on Thursday released the following statement on the Biden administration’s decision to send U.S. aid to Egypt despite human rights conditions that Congress placed on the security assistance:

“While I’m glad the Biden administration recognized that Egypt has not made ‘clear and consistent progress’ toward releasing political prisoners and withheld $85 million in military aid, I disagree with today’s decision to not also withhold the remaining $235 million tied to improvements on human rights and democracy. Over the past year, President Sisi has continued his brutal campaign of repression against political dissent and the free press. This was a missed opportunity to show the world that our commitment to advancing human rights and democracy is more than a talking point.”

Earlier this week, Murphy took to the U.S. Senate floor to call attention to Egypt’s egregious human rights record and urge the Biden administration to withhold the full $320 million in security aid that Congress made contingent on significant progress toward improving Egypt’s human rights record. In July, Murphy led 10 senators in urging the Biden administration to withhold the $320 million of Foreign Military Financing (FMF) to Egypt that Congress made contingent upon specific human rights conditions in the FY22 Appropriations Act. In May, Murphy chaired a hearing on the FY24 budget request for the Middle East and North Africa and raised this same issue.

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