The day after Secretary of State Rex Tillerson's claim that the Palestinian Authority had ended its policy of paying terrorists was met with incredulity in Israel, Tillerson offered a more modest version of events, telling the House Foreign Affairs Committee on Wednesday that the matter was under "active discussion" with the Palestinians.
The Republican-led Senate voted decisively to punish Moscow for interfering in the 2016 election by approving a wide-ranging sanctions package that targets key sectors of Russia's economy and individuals who carried out cyber attacks. The package also would require a congressional review if a president attempts to ease or end current penalties.
The legislation also allows new penalties on key elements of the Russian Federation economy, including mining, metals, shipping and railways. However, the Trump administration still endorses a budget proposal that would increase aid to the Palestinian government by almost five percent, bringing the total amount of us aid to around $215 million.
"Secretary of State Rex Tillerson faced harsh bipartisan criticism on Tuesday as he tried to defend the Trump administration's proposed slashing of America's diplomatic and foreign aid budget". In early January, before Trump was sworn in, a bipartisan group of senators introduced a bill created to go beyond the punishments already levied against Russian Federation by the Obama administration and to demonstrate to Trump that forcefully responding to Moscow's election interference wasn't a partisan issue.
But not all Senate Republicans are carrying Trump's water on this one.
A month later, senators introduced another measure that would require the president to get approval from lawmakers before easing Russian Federation sanctions. Special Counsel Robert Mueller is conducting a separate probe.
Grenfell Tower: At least 30 now confirmed dead
The latest figure included the previously released number of 30 deaths in the catastrophe in North Kensington early Wednesday. The 91-year-old monarch said it is "difficult to escape a very somber mood" on what is normally a day of celebration.
"They have indicated to me they were in the process of changing that", Tillerson said told the House Foreign Affairs Committee. "Members of both the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations and the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations made it clear that the budget Congress puts forward is likely to look quite different from the administration's proposals..."
"This bipartisan amendment is the sanctions regime that the Kremlin deserves for its actions", Shaheen said.
The contradictory statements were somewhat confusing, with Tillerson appearing to be personally conflicted himself about what is happening, as opposed to what he believed would be happening, in response to his efforts and those of President Donald Trump to reach out to the PA leadership to create a springboard for new peace talks.
"We have registered our complaint about that, and that it is going to be a constant obstacle to our ability to improve our relationship if they do not address it", he said.
The only two "no" votes on the Russian Federation bill were from Republican Sens.
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