WASHINGTON — The Biden administration has asked Congress for $32.5 billion in emergency spending to support the federal response to the coronavirus pandemic and support Ukraine in its fight against Russia’s invasion.
The administration has requested $10 billion in humanitarian and military assistance to Ukraine, nearly $4 billion more than the initial amount announced late last month, highlighting how quickly the country’s need for aid is growing as Russian troops continue their offensive.
As part of its new coronavirus response strategy, the administration has also requested $22.5 billion for additional vaccines, oral antivirals and monoclonal antibodies, testing, and support for global vaccination efforts.
Officials hope to include both parts of the emergency aid in a broad, comprehensive spending package that will be funded by the government through the end of the fiscal year. Congress has until March 11, when funding ends, to work out deal details on a dozen bills needed to keep federal money flowing.
In a letter Wednesday, Shalanda Young, acting director of the Office of Management and Budget, urged Congress to “act expeditiously” on the request.
Lawmakers have struggled to reach an agreement on spending for the current fiscal year, which began in October and is almost halfway through. They argued over how much money to allocate to the Pentagon and key domestic programs.
In her letter, Ms Yang urged lawmakers to meet the March 11 deadline to increase funding for the Department of Defense and other agencies, in part because the government is still functioning at spending levels agreed at the end of 2020, before President Biden entered into position.
“I can’t tell you what impact this has had on the defense industrial base,” Representative Elaine Luria, a Virginia Democrat, said. “It’s not so important how we get to the finish line, what matters is that we have to cross the finish line.”
Key lawmakers have suggested that the proposed aid to Ukraine could help resolve disputes that could otherwise stall funding talks that have dragged on for months.
“The sense of urgency around this is heightened by the need to get dollars there and get military assistance,” said South Dakota Sen. John Thune, Republican No. 2.
Updated
March 3, 2022 4:04 pm ET
“Having this is beneficial both in terms of votes and probably in terms of timelines,” he added.
White House officials initially asked for $6.4 billion for Ukraine, but lawmakers from both parties were quick to call for more aid as Russian troops shelled the country.
The $10 billion request includes $4.8 billion in additional funds for the Pentagon to cover U.S. troop deployments to NATO countries, increase intelligence and cybersecurity support, and replenish military stockpiles in response to arms shipments to Ukraine.
Russian-Ukrainian war: what you need to know
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Falling Ukrainian city. Russian troops took control of Kherson, the first city captured during the war. The capture of Kherson is significant because it allows the Russians to control most of the southern coast of Ukraine and move west towards Odessa.
The request also includes $4.25 billion in new economic and humanitarian aid funding to support Ukrainians, including the one million refugees who have already fled the country, which was bombed in the first week of President Vladimir Putin’s invasion. And that includes money to enforce some of the economic sanctions the Biden administration has already imposed, including sanctions on Russian oligarchs and restricting Russia’s access to high-tech goods.
The Pentagon’s request for additional funding could anger a number of conservative lawmakers who argue that the bulk of any new military aid should be spent on sending new lethal weapons to Ukraine, not deploying more US troops or resupplying US supplies. weapons.
And Republicans were quick to dismiss a $22.5 billion coronavirus relief request, arguing that Congress had already allocated enough money to respond to the pandemic in a $1.9 trillion aid package that was passed last year without any or Republican votes.
“I think some of the requests are reasonable, but it doesn’t require new money,” said Rep. Tom Cole, an Oklahoma Republican and member of the Appropriations Committee.
The request is intended to support the administration’s plans to continue fighting the spread of Covid-19, and to prepare for new options and efforts to control the virus overseas as the number of new U.S. cases declines.
Democrats have warned that resisting the aid would jeopardize the country’s efforts to return to a semblance of normalcy and stop the spread of the virus and other options.
“$22 billion for Covid is absolutely essential; in fact, we will probably need more as we need more treatments,” Speaker Nancy Pelosi said at her weekly press conference.
She added about the Republicans: “I hope they see the wisdom of science in what we need to do in terms of Covid.”
Sheryl Gay Stolberg contributed to the story.