President Joe Biden will ask for $25 billion in aid for Ukraine, according to multiple reports.
Multiple reports found Biden is expected to unveil a Ukraine aid package request north of $25 billion, which would include $13 billion in military assistance and $12 billion for disaster relief.
This aid request would set up a battle between many Republicans that are increasingly skeptical about providing aid and defense hawks who wish to continue funding Ukraine’s seemingly endless conflict with Russia.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) have already backed the push to have a vote on the supplemental aid package.
This supplemental aid package would also allow for defense hawks to go around the defense budget caps as stipulated by the debt ceiling deal struck between Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) and Biden.
Ukraine to Allies: Please Give us One Per Cent of Your GDP to Fight Russiahttps://t.co/lZV35gbtE4
— Breitbart London (@BreitbartLondon) May 9, 2023
McCarthy outlined in June any additional aid to Ukraine must go through regular order, or the appropriations process, which could complicate the process for pro-Ukraine aid lawmakers.
He said at the time, “What about the money we have already spent?”
Seventy House Republicans voted in July to cut off aid to Ukraine.
Biden’s request for more Ukraine also complicates Congress’s fall legislative agenda, as Congress needs to pass a continuing resolution (CR) to fund the government past September 30, resolve the differences between the House-passed and Senate-passed National Defense Authorization Acts (NDAA), and pass a Farm Bill by the end of the year.
Rep. Mike Collins (R-GA), one of the many House Republicans who voted against aid to Ukraine, wrote about reports of Biden’s latest request, “No.”
No. https://t.co/aJEQ6xDzcj
— Rep. Mike Collins (@RepMikeCollins) August 9, 2023
Heritage Action Acting Executive Director Ryan Walker told Breitbart News this week any additional aid to Ukraine must come with an accounting of the previous $113 billion in aid, the funds must not be attached to a must-pass bill, and the administration has to lay out a strategy for Ukraine.
A poll released last week found a majority of Americans oppose sending more aid to Ukraine.
Walker told Breitbart News, “I think the American people are rightfully questioning how long we are supposed to be committed to this. After just going through a period of 20 years of conflict, ever since September 11. We have essentially been in some sort of global conflict somewhere. And I think people are tired of it.”
Sean Moran is a policy reporter for Breitbart News. Follow him on Twitter @SeanMoran3
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