Update: Congress and Pakistan

CQ has an update to its story yesterday, with statements from Leahy, Kerry, and Biden (and a non-statement by Lantos...)

Chorus of Calls to Halt Aid to Pakistan Getting Louder on Capitol Hill By Colby Itkowitz, CQ Staff Calls on Capitol Hill to cut aid to Pakistan grew Wednesday, as the Bush administration defended its policy of maintaining close ties with President Pervez Musharraf despite his declaration of emergency rule. ...President Bush, personally weighing in on the Pakistan crisis for the first time since Musharraf declared emergency rule Nov. 3, telephoned the Pakistani leader Wednesday for what Bush called a “frank discussion.” “And my message was that we believe strongly in elections and that you ought to have elections soon, and you need to take off your uniform,” Bush said.

Lawmakers Democrat Patrick J. Leahy of Vermont, who chairs the Senate State-Foreign Operations Appropriations Subcommittee, reaffirmed Wednesday his earlier call to cut funding until Musharraf ended emergency rule. He specifically called for a halt in military aid to Pakistan, which makes up about 90 percent of the roughly $10 billion the United States has provided since 2001. Leahy said he would not discuss whether he would support a cutoff in economic aid to Pakistan until the State-Foreign Operations spending measure (HR 2764 — H Rept 110-197, S Rept 110-128) goes to conference.

John Kerry, D-Mass., a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said he would give Musharraf two weeks before drafting a resolution calling on the administration to cut aid. Bush has asked Congress for $785 million in aid to Pakistan in his fiscal 2008 budget request and another $60 million in the recent amendment to his 2008 supplemental spending request. Musharraf, concerned about a possible cut in U.S. assistance, made personal calls to key U.S. lawmakers this week.

Senate Foreign Relations Chairman Joseph R. Biden Jr., D-Del., who spoke to Musharraf on Nov. 6, said he urged the Pakistani leader to restore democracy ...Musharraf also telephoned Democrat Tom Lantos of California, chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, who declined to discuss their conversation.