White House requests $105 billion in funding for Ukraine, Israel and the southern border
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The White House on Friday asked Congress to provide more than $105 billion in funding for Israel, Ukraine — countries that are fighting wars against Hamas and Russia, respectively — and Taiwan, as well as for efforts to address the migrant crisis at the southern border.
In a Thursday night address, President Joe Biden made a case for Congress to make the funding available as soon as possible, calling the money “a smart investment” that would fulfill the security needs of the U.S. and its allies. His administration plans to reach out to lawmakers to ramp up support for the latest spending package.
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White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan told reporters on Friday that the request comes at “a global inflection point,” following the Hamas attack on Israel and amid the ongoing war in Ukraine.
“As President Biden said, these conflicts can seem far away, but the outcome of these fights for democracy against terrorism and tyranny are vital to the safety and security of the American people,” Sullivan said.
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But because the House is without a speaker, passing the funding through Congress will be a challenge.
As Brigham Tomco reported for the Deseret News, House GOP members are worried that no Republican can secure the necessary votes to become speaker after Rep. Jim Jordan, a leading contender, failed to shore up enough support.
“The world is closely watching what Congress does next,” Sullivan said.
Here’s a breakdown of what the White House is requesting, according to The Washington Post.
More than $61 billion in aid to Ukraine, in addition to the $75 billion that the Biden administration and Congress have already sent.
“The funding and authorities the Congress previously approved overwhelmingly has nearly run out, and we need congressional action to ensure that we can continue to meet Ukraine’s battlefield needs and protect its people while they’re under attack,” Sullivan said.
The White House is asking for roughly $14.3 billion in military aid for Israel.
“Using previously approved congressional authorities, we’ve delivered military aid, including munitions and interceptors for the Iron Dome system, which is protecting people every day from Hamas rockets,” said Sullivan. He added that the new funding would help the Biden administration provide additional security to the American embassy in Israel.
The request also encompasses nearly $14 billion for immigration enforcement aimed at ensuring the security of the southern border and preventing the flow of fentanyl into the U.S.
The billions will go toward employing “1,300 Border Patrol agents, 375 immigration judge teams, and 1,600 asylum officers,” said Shalanda Young, the director of the Office of Management and Budget, in a press conference Friday. The administration will also invest in 100 detection machines at ports of energy.
“Let me be clear: Some in Congress have said a lot about doing something on border security while refusing to take up the $4 billion request we sent in August to Congress,” Young said. “We will not be lectured by those who refuse to act. ... Congress needs to take action to provide sufficient resources for the border.”
Nearly $9.15 will be allocated for humanitarian assistance in Ukraine, Israel and Gaza.
“Things happen we need to be able to respond to. So, that is a flexible pot of money,” Young told a reporter, adding that the administration has already shown a commitment to send humanitarian aid to Palestinians in Gaza.
At least $4 billion will go toward security assistance to Taiwan and the Indo-Pacific region “to strengthen deterrence and enhance peace,” said Sullivan.
Lastly, the White House is asking for $3.4 billion to invest in a submarine fleet for the U.S. Navy submarine industrial base.
Packaging different agendas like border security and foreign aid together could be a strategy to pass the supplemental funding, Sen. Dan Sullivan, R-Alaska, told NPR.
“A lot of times in the Congress, things happen where you get a bill or a funding package that you don’t agree with everything, but if you agree with a lot of it, it can broaden the support,” he said.
