This article has been corrected.
WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) – Senate Democrats are praising the President for issuing a memorandum connecting foreign aid to humanitarian efforts.
Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), who wrote an amendment for the National Security supplemental that had similar language, said it was “designed to better align America’s military assistance programs with American values and with American interests.”
Key components of the memorandum are that recipients of aid would agree in writing and before receiving aid to adhere to international humanitarian law, to report about methods used to prevent civilian harm and not deny assistance “arbitrarily” to conflict zones where U.S. weapons are being used.
If countries who receive aid are currently involved in conflicts, they will be expected to issue the reports within 45 days to the Secretary of State.
“U.S. military aid cannot be a blank check for Prime Minister Netanyahu and his right-wing government.” Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) warned. “It cannot be a blank check to kill tens of thousands of Palestinians. It cannot be a blank check to deny access to humanitarian aid.”
Democratic senators stated none of them had received any pushback from Ukrainian officials, who would have the same conditions applied to any aid they receive.
