2016: Schweikert Voted To Cut All Aid To Pakistan In An FY 2017 Defense Authorization Bill. In June 2016, Schweikert voted for an amendment that would have, according to Congressional Quarterly, "prohibit[ed] use of funds for assistance to Pakistan." The underlying legislation was an FY 2017 defense authorization. The House rejected the amendment by a vote of 84 to 336. [House Vote 325, 6/16/16; Congressional Quarterly, 6/16/16; Congressional Actions, H. Amdt. 1209; Congressional Actions, H.R. 5293]
2014: Schweikert Voted To Cut All Aid To Pakistan In An FY 2013 Defense Authorization Bill. In June 2014, Schweikert voted for an amendment that would have, according to Congressional Quarterly, "bar[red] funds from being provided to Pakistan." The underlying legislation was an FY 2015 defense authorization. The House rejected the amendment by a vote of 92 to 320. [House Vote 333, 6/20/14; Congressional Quarterly, 6/20/14; Congressional Actions, H. Amdt. 938; Congressional Actions, H.R. 4870]
2015: Schweikert Voted For An Amendment That Would Have Prohibited The Defense Secretary To Waive Certain Restrictions On Aid To Pakistan If It Was In The Interest Of National Security Interest. In June 2015, Schweikert voted for an amendment that would have prohibited the Secretary of Defense from waiving certain restrictions on aid to Pakistan if it was in national security interest to do so. According to Congressional Quarterly, the amendment would "strike subsection (b) of section 9015, which allows the secretary of Defense, in consultation with the secretary of State, to waive certain restrictions on aid to Pakistan by certifying in writing to congressional defense committees that it is in national security interest to do so." The larger legislation was H.R. 2685, the Department of Defense Appropriations Act for 2016. The vote was on agreeing to the amendment and the House rejected the amendment 114 to 318. [House Vote 344, 6/10/15; Congressional Quarterly, 6/10/15; Congressional Actions, H. Amdt. 477; Congressional Actions, H.R. 2685]
Rep. Ted Poe (R-TX): The Amendment Would Prevent Aid To Pakistan Under Certain Conditions, Such As Funding Terrorism Activity Against The United States. Speaking on the House floor in support of his amendment, Rep. Poe said, "This amendment is very simple. It makes it so the Secretary of Defense cannot waive the conditions that are in the bill on giving money to Pakistan. Since 2010, Congress has put conditions on our aid to Pakistan because Pakistan, frankly, can't be trusted. In 2011, Pakistan tipped off terrorists who had IED factories that the U.S. Government knew where they were. Pakistan tipped off the Haqqani network before the Pakistan military went to the tribal areas last year. [...] Here is the problem. Each year, we put conditions on our aid. The bill also gives the Secretary of Defense the authority to give the money to Pakistan even if Pakistan doesn't meet those conditions, and this year is no exception. Once again, in this bill, we give the Secretary of Defense the authority to waive the conditions Congress puts in the bill. Four of the last 5 years, Pakistan has failed to meet the conditions Congress has imposed on this type of legislation, and then the Secretary of Defense went ahead and gave the waiver, thus giving the money to Pakistan anyway. The administration has never not given Pakistan money because it failed to meet our conditions--conditions set by Congress--normal, commonsense conditions like: you don't get this money unless you meet these conditions. This amendment does one simple thing. It says: you meet the conditions, or you get no money from the United States; you don't give money to terrorists, or you get no money from the United States. It does not allow the Secretary of Defense to waive Congress' conditions and give the money anyway." [Congressional Record, 6/10/15]
Rep. Rodney Frelinghuysen (R-NJ): The U.S. Needs Pakistani Cooperation, So It Is In The Interest Of National Security Interest To Aid. Speaking on the House floor in opposition to this amendment, Rep. Frelinghuysen said, "This amendment would strike [...] the waiver that is used by the Secretary of Defense and also the Secretary of State. I think it would affect our national security. We need the cooperation of the Pakistanis. If we don't have any, we lose insight into the actions of those who would do our country harm. I oppose this amendment as potentially damaging to our national security, and I yield to the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Visclosky), the ranking member." [Congressional Record, 6/10/15]
2012: The U.S. Government Had Previously Waived The Conditions On Aid To Pakistan, Including Making Aid Contingent On "Counter-Terrorism Cooperation, Ending Nuclear Proliferation And Building Democratic Institutions." According to The Hindu, "The U.S. State Department has waived legal requirements that made the multi-billion dollar aid to Pakistan contingent on its cooperation in counter-terrorism, ending nuclear proliferation and building democratic institutions, a newly released report from the Congressional Research Service has revealed. 'In mid-August 2012' its authors Susan Epstein and Alan Kronstadt said, 'the State Department quietly notified Congress of its intention to cite U.S. national security provisions in waiving two certification requirements that placed conditions on U.S. assistance to Pakistan.'" [Hindu, 10/6/12]
2024: Schweikert Voted To Support Democracy And Human Rights In Pakistan, To Increase Engagement With The Government Of Pakistan, and To Condemn Voter Suppression Efforts In Pakistan. In June 2024, Schweikert voted for , according to Congressional Quarterly, "the resolution, as amended, that would express support for democracy and human rights in Pakistan. The resolution would call on the president and secretary of State to strengthen engagement with the government of Pakistan to ensure democracy, human rights and the rule of law, as well as urge the government of Pakistan to uphold those same principles. The bill also would condemn any attempts to suppress voter participation or Pakistan's electoral or judicial processes. It also would call for an independent investigation into allegations of interference or irregularities in Pakistan's February 2024 election." The vote was on passage. The House adopted the resolution by a vote of 368 to 7, thus, it was sent to the Senate. [House Vote 280, 6/25/24; Congressional Quarterly, 6/25/24; Congressional Actions, H.Res. 901]