Congress cuts deal on Middle East aid package

Bryant Harris

Jan 23, 2019

U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Robert Catalanotti (R), director, Exercises and Training Directorate J-7, U.S. Central Command arrives to take part in the "Eager Lion" military exercises at the Jordan-Saudi Arabia border, 260 km (162 miles) south of Amman June 5, 2014. Around 12,500 participants from 20 countries will take part in Eager Lion. REUTERS/Muhammad Hamed (JORDAN - Tags: MILITARY POLITICS) - GM1EA651SJJ01 — US Army Maj. Gen. Robert Catalanotti (R), director, Exercises and Training Directorate J-7, US Central Command, arrives to take part in the "Eager Lion" military exercises at the Jordan-Saudi Arabia border, 260 kilometers (162 miles) south of Amman, June 5, 2014.

Although Congress has yet to coalesce around a path out of the monthlong government shutdown, it has at least reached a consensus on a Middle East aid package for 2019.

The compromise contains good news for several US allies — namely Egypt, Morocco and Turkey — as it undoes significant setbacks they faced when the House passed a different spending bill earlier this year. But it also contains a significant blow to Saudi Arabia by shutting the kingdom out of a key US military training program.