WASHINGTON, Oct 2 (Reuters) – A prolonged U.S. federal
government shutdown could delay military assistance to Israel
and other American allies, the State Department said on
Wednesday.
“The State Department’s ability to provide military
assistance to Israel and other allies in the time frame that is
expected and customary could be hindered, depending on the
length of the shutdown,” State Department deputy spokeswoman
Marie Harf told a news briefing.
Harf gave only the specific example of Israel, the largest
recipient of U.S. foreign military funding and a country which
enjoys strong bipartisan support in the U.S. Congress.
The Obama administration had requested $3.1 billion for
Israel for the 2014 fiscal year that began on Oct. 1, the day
U.S. political stalemate forced a partial shutdown of
government. In 2007, the two countries agreed on a 10-year,
$30-billion military aid package covering the 2009-18 fiscal
years.
Total U.S. foreign military funding was about $5.5 billion
for more than 80 countries in 2011, according to State
Department data.
Harf said the State Department had not had to furlough any
staff as a result of the government shutdown and visa and
passport offices which run on fees remained open.
“While there are no furloughs, it’s not just business as
usual,” she said. “And there are programs certainly that are
affected, and which all could be up and running again if
Congress could get some business done.”
Offices at the State Department that have been closed as a
result of the shutdown include the Office of the Inspector
General and the International Boundary and Water Commission,
Harf said.
(Reporting by Paul Eckert; Editing by David Brunnstrom)
