The White House is asking Congress for $10 billion in emergency funding to boost its response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine, part of a 32.5 billion supplemental request that also includes extra funds for fighting the pandemic.
President Joe Biden's emergency funding request for Ukraine will target the mounting humanitarian crisis as well as assist the administration's defense against Russia. Of the $10 billion, $4.8 billion would go to the Pentagon and $5 billion to the State Department, with the remainder going to the departments of Treasury, Commerce, Justice and Energy.
The administration is requesting $1.25 billion for cyber and intelligence support to accelerate capabilities and upgrade weapons systems. Another $1.8 billion would cover the deployment of U.S. military units to support the U.S. European Command and NATO response forces. Those costs include transportation of personnel and equipment, temporary duty, special pay, flying hours, airlift, weapons and medical support. The White House also will need $1.75 billion to replenish weapons and material stocks provided to Ukraine.
The administration also plans on $500 million for military assistance to Ukraine and other NATO countries on the eastern flank to build weapon capacity and deter Russia. The request also includes funding for export controls and sanctions, for integrating Ukraine's electrical grid with Europe's and for a Department of Justice task force targeting on Russian oligarchs.
For the fight against COVID-19, the administration asked for $22.5 billion for immediate new investment in testing, anti-viral treatments and improved vaccines in anticipation of a possible new variant and subsequent wave of infections. Funding would also flow to global vaccine efforts.
Republicans have said new Covid spending should be paid for by repurposing unspent money from last year's economic rescue plan. So far lawmakers and the administration have to determined where those funds could come from.
The request comes amid negotiations over how to fund the government. Without congressional action, critical federal agencies will run out of money around March 11 and could struggle to respond adequately to either emergency. The White House is asking that the new funds be included in that effort.
The funding request is designated as "emergency," meaning it would come above and beyond regular agency levels. That crucial distinction should resolve a dispute over whether to cut Pentagon funds to pay for the Ukraine response and help garner Republican support.
The funds are in addition to the $650 million in security aid and $52 million in humanitarian aid the U.S. already has committed to Ukraine over the last year as well as a previous $1 billion sovereign loan guarantee. The request is likely to get bipartisan support as Democrats and Republicans rush forward with pledges to assist Ukraine.
Shalanda Young, the acting director of the Office of Management and Budget, said in a letter to Congress she expects additional requests for emergency funding for both crises.
"Given the rapidly evolving situation in Ukraine, I anticipate that additional needs may arise over time," Young wrote in the letter, dated March 2. "This funding request is based on the administration's best information on resource requirements at this time, and we will remain in touch with the Congress in the coming weeks and months as we assess resource requirements beyond these immediate needs."
The combined funds could be added to a broad government spending package that Congress is trying to finish by March 11, when the current temporary spending bill lapses. Officials caution that the situation is fluid and that estimates could change.
In an interview on Bloomberg Radio's Balance of Power Tuesday, House Appropriations Chair Rosa DeLauro cited $10 billion as the likely figure for Ukraine money, echoing an amount put forward by Senator Chris Coons of Delaware last week. Adam Smith, the chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, said Thursday at the American Enterprise Institute that Democrats are willing to give the Pentagon the emergency supplemental money without taking it out of the Defense Department's budget.
Top Republican Senate appropriator Richard Shelby also told reporters Monday that the amount could exceed $6.4 billion, the White House's previous estimate to Congress. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi told reporters lawmakers would back whatever Biden requests.
The House draft of an estimated $1.5 trillion omnibus spending package that Republicans and Democrats are working on ahead of the March 11 deadline already includes $757 million for Ukraine, including $125 million through the Foreign Military Financing Program and $275 million for the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative.
On COVID aid, the White House has steadily been ratcheting up warnings that its response was running out of money. The administration on Wednesday unveiled a new roadmap for pandemic preparedness, highlighting the availability of vaccines and therapeutic treatments that will help the U.S. move out of a crisis-level COVID response, but warning Congress would need to allocate more.
The new COVID aid request includes $12.2 billion for procurement of vaccines, including those for kids, as well as antiviral pills and monoclonal antibody treatments, $2 billion for testing and other funding to prepare for any future variants.
It also includes a request for $2.6 billion to expand U.S. vaccination efforts abroad, and $1.7 billion for treatments, tests and supplies for high-need overseas populations.
Josh Wingrove, Erik Wasson and Roxana Tiron report for Bloomberg News.
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