> reporter: the obama administration could say enough's enough. and cut aid to egypt. but some american companies want to keep t"> > reporter: the obama administration could say enough's enough. and cut aid to egypt. but some american companies want to keep t" property="og:description"> > reporter: the obama administration could say enough's enough. and cut aid to egypt. but some american companies want to keep t">
"outfront" investigation. >> reporter: the obama administration could say enough's enough. and cut aid to egypt. but some american companies want to keep that money flowing because they are the ones cashing in. >> you're buying u.s. equipment from u.s. contractors. >> reporter: the u.s. doesn't cut a check to egypt. it deposits the aid in an account at the federal reserve bank. that money pays american defense contractors to build the weapons and parts for egypt. that includes $400 million to general dynamics for tank kits. and $2.5 billion to lockheed for f-16s. big companies got these contracts in part by sending legions of lobbyists to capitol hill. they reminded lawmakers that if they can't build weapons for egypt, all those small town suppliers from lima, ohio to oxford, michigan will get buried. >> joe with company x has made this particular piece of a tank for 20 years and that's what he does. he's very good at it. but if i don't give them an order for six months, i'm not sure what's going to happen to old joe and his workforce. >> reporter: jim colby used to control the purse strings on egypt. he heard that pitch year after year. and it worked. >> the contractors have a vested interest in keeping the process