; Whereas the United States Government reprogrammed and withheld some assistance to Egypt in August 2017 due in part to the inability to certify, as required by Congress, that Egypt is advancing democracy and human rights ; Whereas the Department of State, in an August 23, 2017, press briefing, reported that it was unable to certify that Egypt is advancing democracy and human rights ; Whereas, in January 2018, Department of State Spokesperson Heather Nauert affirmed that the United States supports free and fair elections in Egypt and said, We support a timely and credible electoral process and believe it needs to include the opportunity for citizens to participate freely in Egyptian elections. We believe that that should include addressing restrictions on freedom of association, peaceful assembly, and also expression. ; Whereas Secretary of State Rex Tillerson visited Egypt on February 12, 2018, and stated during a joint press availability with Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry, With the presidential elections planned for the end of March, the United States, as it does in all countries, supports a transparent and credible electoral process, and all citizens being given the right and the opportunity to participate freely and fairly. ; Whereas President of Egypt Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, in a televised interview on September 16, 2016, with CBS Evening News, said, We uphold the principles of respecting people, of honoring their rights. ; Whereas President el-Sisi has asserted his commitment to term limits and free and fair elections over the years, stating in a CNBC interview on November 6, 2017, There is no president who will sit in the chair without the will of the Egyptian people … the one that is in the president’s seat will not be able to stay after the term allowed by the law and the constitution. And what determines this will be the vote of the Egyptian people.