This vote was on an amendment by Jon Kyl, R-Ariz., that would require a report on whether sending money to the Egyptian government could help expand counter-smuggling efforts in Gaza.  The amendment was offered to a bill that would fund most domestic agencies in fiscal 2009.

Kyl said his amendment was spurred by recent attacks between Israel and Hamas, after which it was learned that many of Hamas’ weapons were supplied by Iran by smuggling them across Egypt and into the Gaza Strip.  Kyl said his amendment asks for a study to see if there are other ways U.S. funding could help stop smuggling through the Sinai.

“The amendment is not to denigrate these efforts of the Egyptians in any way. I understand there is some sensitivity by folks at the State Department, for example, that the amendment may look like we are not grateful for those efforts. Quite to the contrary,” Kyl said. 

John Kerry, D-Mass., said Kyl’s amendment is well-intentioned, but that if the Senate passes it the entire bill will be sunk because the House will not accept such language.

“It is simply to keep us, if it were to pass, from enacting this bill,” Kerry said. 

By a vote of 34-61, the amendment was rejected.  Of Republicans present, 31 voted for the amendment and 7 voted against it.  Allbut three Democrats present voted against the amendment.  The end result is that the bill went forward without mandating a study of whether additional funding could help the government of Egypt stop Iranian weapons smuggling to the Gaza Strip.