Sheesh! those last-minute items on the 'To-Do' List!
Breitbart:
Report: Obama Gave $221 Million to Palestinians in Last Hours.
Jan. 23, 2017.
"A State Department official and several congressional aides say the outgoing administration
formally notified Congress it would spend the money Friday morning, just before Donald Trump
became president.
More than $227 million in foreign affairs funding was released at the time, including $4 million
for climate change programs and $1.25 million for U.N. organizations.
At least two GOP lawmakers had placed holds on the Palestinian funds. Congressional holds
are generally respected by the executive branch but are not legally binding...'
SOURCE:
....................................................
Associated Press:
US sent $221 million to Palestinians in Obama’s last hours.
Jan. 23, 2017.
WASHINGTON (AP)
'Officials say the Obama administration in its waning hours defied Republican opposition and quietly released
$221 million to the Palestinian Authority that GOP members of Congress had been blocking.
A State Department official and several congressional aides said the outgoing administration formally notified
Congress it would spend the money Friday morning. The official said former Secretary of State John Kerry had
informed some lawmakers of the move shortly before he left the State Department for the last time Thursday.
The aides said written notification dated Jan. 20 was sent to Congress just hours before Donald Trump took the
oath of office.
In addition to the $221 million for the Palestinians, the Obama administration also told Congress on Friday it was
going ahead with the release of another $6 million in foreign affairs spending, including $4 million for climate change
programs and $1.25 million for U.N. organizations, the congressional aides said.
The aides and the State Department official weren’t authorized to speak publicly on the matter and demanded
anonymity.
Congress had initially approved the Palestinian funding in budget years 2015 and 2016, but at least two GOP
lawmakers — Ed Royce of California, the chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, and Kay Granger
of Texas, who sits on the House Appropriations Committee -had placed holds on it over moves the Palestinian
Authority had taken to seek membership in international organizations.
Congressional holds are generally respected by the executive branch but are not legally binding after funds have
been allocated.
The Obama administration had for some time been pressing for the release of the money for the Palestinian
Authority, which comes from the U.S. Agency for International Development and is to be used for humanitarian
aid in the West Bank and Gaza, to support political and security reforms as well as help prepare for good
overnance and the rule of law in a future Palestinian state, according to the notification sent to Congress.
The $1.25 million for U.N. agencies is to be used as voluntary contributions to the U.N. Peacebuilding Fund;
the U.N. Special Coordinator on improving the U.N. response to sexual exploitation and abuse; the Montreal
Protocol Secretariat, which oversees the protection of the ozone layer; the Inter-American Commission on
Human Rights; and the U.N. System Staff College...'
SOURCE:
Breitbart:
Report: Obama Gave $221 Million to Palestinians in Last Hours.
Jan. 23, 2017.
"A State Department official and several congressional aides say the outgoing administration
formally notified Congress it would spend the money Friday morning, just before Donald Trump
became president.
More than $227 million in foreign affairs funding was released at the time, including $4 million
for climate change programs and $1.25 million for U.N. organizations.
At least two GOP lawmakers had placed holds on the Palestinian funds. Congressional holds
are generally respected by the executive branch but are not legally binding...'
SOURCE:
....................................................
Associated Press:
US sent $221 million to Palestinians in Obama’s last hours.
Jan. 23, 2017.
WASHINGTON (AP)
'Officials say the Obama administration in its waning hours defied Republican opposition and quietly released
$221 million to the Palestinian Authority that GOP members of Congress had been blocking.
A State Department official and several congressional aides said the outgoing administration formally notified
Congress it would spend the money Friday morning. The official said former Secretary of State John Kerry had
informed some lawmakers of the move shortly before he left the State Department for the last time Thursday.
The aides said written notification dated Jan. 20 was sent to Congress just hours before Donald Trump took the
oath of office.
In addition to the $221 million for the Palestinians, the Obama administration also told Congress on Friday it was
going ahead with the release of another $6 million in foreign affairs spending, including $4 million for climate change
programs and $1.25 million for U.N. organizations, the congressional aides said.
The aides and the State Department official weren’t authorized to speak publicly on the matter and demanded
anonymity.
Congress had initially approved the Palestinian funding in budget years 2015 and 2016, but at least two GOP
lawmakers — Ed Royce of California, the chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, and Kay Granger
of Texas, who sits on the House Appropriations Committee -had placed holds on it over moves the Palestinian
Authority had taken to seek membership in international organizations.
Congressional holds are generally respected by the executive branch but are not legally binding after funds have
been allocated.
The Obama administration had for some time been pressing for the release of the money for the Palestinian
Authority, which comes from the U.S. Agency for International Development and is to be used for humanitarian
aid in the West Bank and Gaza, to support political and security reforms as well as help prepare for good
overnance and the rule of law in a future Palestinian state, according to the notification sent to Congress.
The $1.25 million for U.N. agencies is to be used as voluntary contributions to the U.N. Peacebuilding Fund;
the U.N. Special Coordinator on improving the U.N. response to sexual exploitation and abuse; the Montreal
Protocol Secretariat, which oversees the protection of the ozone layer; the Inter-American Commission on
Human Rights; and the U.N. System Staff College...'
SOURCE:
Edith Head Gives Good Wardrobe.