McConnell predicts Egyptian aid vote in September

McConnell, who previously supported the suspension of aid, said the $1.3 billion is important to protect the alliance with the country and neighboring Israel, but “enough is enough.”

{mosads}“I think we’re going to be voting on this again in September because it looks to me like the crackdown is not an indication that they are moving in the direction of having a new election,” McConnell told CNN. 

Reports of a violent crackdown by the Egyptian military on supporters of deposed President Mohamed Morsi have caused a number of Senate Republicans to reconsider their position on aid. 

Shortly before leaving for the August recess, the Senate voted down an amendment to the Transportation spending bill proposed by Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) to cut off aid. 

At the time, McConnell was one of only 13 senators to vote in favor of the resolution. But since, Sens. John McCain (R-Ariz.) and Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) have also called on the Obama administration to suspend aid after returning from a trip to the country. 

Upon return they said the military had taken “Egypt down a dark” path, and the United States “should not travel with them.”

The Obama administration is still weighing the option but has declined to rule that the military performed a coup, which would automatically halt the aid. 

Paul, who has pushed the resolution a number of times, also now believes the votes are there to pass the amendment, according to Senate aides.

“I think we’ve all kind of reached a tipping point,” McConnell said.