, 26 tweets, 5 min read Read on Twitter
Secy of State Mike Pompeo comes before congress today to talk budget for his department for 2020. I'll have coverage for @CourthouseNews.
State proposes $40B for FY2020. State also asked for twice as much this year than last foe foreign assistance targeting China and North Korea. The budget also seeks a transfer of up to $500M to "support a democratic transition in Venezuela," according to Pompeo opening remarks
Forgive me for the typo - *for, not foe, clearly.
State budget also proposes $9B for global humanitarian aid; $100M for a new USAID program, "Women’s Global Development & Prosperity Initiative" & according to opening remarks, increased funding for visa vetting/border sec, combating ISIS etc. More to come
documentcloud.org/documents/5782…
Ironically, the proposed $100M for "women's global development" comes as the administration promised to expand the global gag rule which harms women around the world. But why expand the rule? Well, according to Secy Pompeo...
"This administration has shown that we can continue to meet our critical global health goals, including providing healthcare for women, while refusing to subsidize the killing of unborn babies."
aljazeera.com/news/2019/03/e…
This year's budget also includes a proposed $3.3B package for Israel and $1.3B also marked for Egypt for military financing
Pompeo is testifying before Congress that the State Dept wants to devote millions to global women's health initiative, but as lawmakers ask him - well, what is that plan? What does that include? What does it look like? Where does it go? Who receives it? He has zero answers.
There's no specificity available because State is "still rolling it out," Pompeo says.
Interesting juxtaposition - while the Secy has no specifics to offer on this program that will help women, we assuredly know the following:
- International family planning programs cut by 50%
- US eliminated assistance to UN Population Fund which ends genital mutilation, child marriage and provides health srvs to women
- State erased repro rights reporting from annual human rights report
- Global gag rule expanded
I've got a story breaking down today's hearing in-depth coming up for @CourthouseNews.
"This [budget] approach is detached from reality.” - Words from a Republican lawmaker to Secy Pompeo about the drastic proposed budget cuts to State.
Go in-depth here: courthousenews.com/pompeo-grilled…
THREAD: More from today's hearing from this reporter's notebook:
On Israel/Palestine, Rep. David Price, D-NC, had an exchange with Pompeo
Price begins: "The guiding school of thought has been for us to facilitate direct negotiations between the two parties. "
"Outside of a framework of any final status agreement," the Trump administration has made only a series of increasingly provocative moves, Price says.
*Some* of bullet points:
1) Moved US embassy to Jerusalem unilaterally
2) Closed the Palestinian embassy in D.C..
(continued..
3) Cut off Palestinian aid by $200M, exacerbating severe humanitarian crises there
4) Cuts included programs for food security, children with autism, water treatment, oncology medicine...
(continued...)
...and programs that bring Israelis/Palestinians together for dialogue and conflict mitigation.
Price to Pompeo: "Now you're about to unveil a long awaited peace agreement you have drafted. No doubt with demands to follow."
"I guess Palestinians are supposed be grateful for that plan and regard the US as a fair minded arbiter who respects their aspirations? How is this supposed to work? Am I missing something?" - Rep Price
Pompeo, who at one point calls Jerusalem the "eternal capitol" says: "You're missing the history. Before it didn’t work. Decades of trying the old way failed to resolve this conflict. I've met w/each of the individuals who have been involved with this at different times..."
Pompeo continues: "and over different times in my life and to a person, they would say…'We want Palestinians to have a better life as well.' I hope they will view us a fair arbiter."

There was a lot of this nebulous language today from the secy.
During another exchange with Rep Lowey, she asks pointedly: "Do you support a resolution that results in two states, for two people, living side by side and mutual recognition?"
Pompeo: The year I've been secy, I have a simple, realistic goal for Palestinians to find that path forward. That path is up to them. We’ve been at this for decades, we have some ideas that are new and fresh and different and hopefully that will prevent larger threats."
Lowey acknowledges this but says "The contours of any agreement have to start with mutual recognition"
Then, pointedly again: "Are these still the parameters two sides would return to negotiating table?"
Pompeo: Those are the parameters that were largely at hand.... and we ask how can we make lives of Palestinian people better and the people of Israel? How can we find the path forward so that this conflict can be resolved.
Lowey wants him to get more specific. So she pushes again: Given demographics in the West Bank and Gaza and Israel longstanding democratic principles, do you agree a two state solution is the best solution for peaceful coexistence?
And here's the Secy is still is vague on the "vision."
Pompeo: "You will see this administration's vision and that ultimately it will be peoples of those two lands that resolve this and make this decision. Our mission is to help them with new ideas to create real opportunity"
Note: He didn't ever offer any insight into Jared Kushner's peace plan. In fact, when pressed about when congress might see a draft of some sort - one lawmaker joked, "anytime in the next 20 yrs perhaps?" - Pompeo laughed too & said yes, sometime before the next 20 yrs."
Missing some Tweet in this thread?
You can try to force a refresh.

Like this thread? Get email updates or save it to PDF!

Subscribe to Brandi Buchman
Profile picture

Get real-time email alerts when new unrolls are available from this author!

This content may be removed anytime!

Twitter may remove this content at anytime, convert it as a PDF, save and print for later use!

Try unrolling a thread yourself!

how to unroll video

1) Follow Thread Reader App on Twitter so you can easily mention us!

2) Go to a Twitter thread (series of Tweets by the same owner) and mention us with a keyword "unroll" @threadreaderapp unroll

You can practice here first or read more on our help page!

Follow Us on Twitter!

Did Thread Reader help you today?

Support us! We are indie developers!


This site is made by just three indie developers on a laptop doing marketing, support and development! Read more about the story.

Become a Premium Member ($3.00/month or $30.00/year) and get exclusive features!

Become Premium

Too expensive? Make a small donation by buying us coffee ($5) or help with server cost ($10)

Donate via Paypal Become our Patreon

Thank you for your support!