Biden asks Congress for $106B, including $85B for Ukrai Biden mulls $60 bln for Ukraine, $10 bln for Israel in funding request
The White House on Friday unveiled details about the $106 billion spending package President Joe Biden is asking Congress to approve, the bulk of which will go toward helping Ukraine and Israel in their wars. Biden foreshadowed the request in an Oval Office address Thursday night, Reuters reports.
Under the proposal, $61.4 billion would go toward assisting Ukraine in its war against Russia, while Israel would receive $14.3 billion for its fight against Hamas.
Another $9.15 billion would be dedicated to humanitarian assistance in Ukraine, Israel and the Gaza Strip.
Nearly $7.5 billion would be spent on countering China and securing the Indo-Pacific region, including Taiwan.
And $13.6 billion would be dedicated to securing the U.S. border with Mexico, countering the smuggling of fentanyl into the country and addressing other issues related to migration, including providing state and local governments with money to shelter migrants released from federal custody, combatting human trafficking, and repatriating deported migrants.
Included within those proposed expenditures is more than $50 billion for the U.S. defense industrial base to ensure military readiness. “Taken together, this budget request is critical to advancing American national security and ensuring the safety of the American people,” White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan said during a call with reporters Friday morning.
On Thursday night, Biden argued the U.S. could pay a higher price down the road if the funding is not approved.
“History has taught us that when terrorists don’t pay a price for their terror, when dictators don’t pay a price for their aggression, they cause more chaos and death and more destruction,” he said. “They keep going. And the cost and the threats to America and the world keep rising.”
