State Department approves up to $40M to evacuate Americans from Mideast on charter flights
Summary
The U.S. State Department has approved up to $40 million to fund evacuation flights for Americans in the Middle East due to transportation problems caused by the Iran war. These funds come from a budget typically used for emergencies involving U.S. diplomatic staff. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has waived the usual rule that private citizens must repay the government for evacuation costs.Key Facts
- The State Department is using up to $40 million for evacuation flights in the Middle East.
- This money is from a fund usually set aside for diplomatic emergencies.
- Secretary of State Marco Rubio waived the repayment requirement for private Americans.
- The U.S. advised Americans in 14 Middle Eastern countries to leave due to the Iran war.
- Criticism exists regarding the department's past performance in crisis situations.
- Over 40,000 Americans have returned home since the Iran war started in February.
- Most Americans returned via commercial flights, with only 40% opting for U.S. charters.
- The charter flights have many empty seats, with less than 40% occupancy on average.
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