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October 18, 2023Biden to Deliver Address as He Seeks Aid for Israel and Ukraine
October 19, 2023President Biden is expected to ask Congress in the coming days to approve about $100 billion in emergency funds to arm Israel, Ukraine and Taiwan and fortify the U.S.-Mexico border, according to multiple people familiar with the plan.
The funding request, which lawmakers expect to receive by Friday morning, would cover a full year and is aimed at insulating the security funding from the partisan spending battles that have hamstrung recent efforts to supply Ukraine with weapons and other assistance to beat back a Russian invasion.
The package is expected to include about $10 billion in mostly military assistance to help Israel, as well as around $60 billion for Ukraine, according to aides familiar with the discussions, who described the emerging proposal on the condition of anonymity because it has yet to be announced. The balance of the $100 billion is expected to be dedicated to border security and helping beef up the defenses of Taiwan and the Indo-Pacific region, in order to better counter threats from China.
Mr. Biden is scheduled to deliver remarks Thursday night from the Oval Office on the American response to the wars in Israel and Ukraine.
Over the last week, senior White House officials and Senate leaders signaled their intention to link aid for multiple national security objectives. The strategy reflects the growing urgency surrounding the war in Ukraine and the sudden outbreak of war between Israel and Hamas.
They are pursuing one large package of aid despite objections from Republicans in the House, where the majority of G.O.P. members enthusiastically support equipping Israel with the weapons to fight Hamas but have soured on continuing to send military assistance to Ukraine for its fight against Russian aggression.
Last month, the majority of House Republicans voted against continuing a $300 million program to train and equip Ukrainian fighters. While the measure ultimately passed with Democratic support, the vote reflected a dampening of support in the Republican Party for helping Ukraine. Some G.O.P. lawmakers argue doing so siphons money away from domestic security concerns and could put the United States closer to a direct confrontation with Russia.
Republicans in both the Senate and House have insisted that they would need concessions from Democrats to support additional funds for Ukraine, including strict immigration restrictions and border security funding. Accomplishing that became easier in recent days, after the Biden administration announced that it would revive construction of a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border.
On Wednesday, some Republicans expressed cautious support for the idea of a combined national security package.
“From what I know generally, I’d be inclined to, presuming that the border security piece of it is real border security,” Senator Kevin Cramer, Republican of North Dakota, told reporters Wednesday.
But it is not clear how swiftly Congress might be able to pass such a bill. Legislative activity in the House has been at a standstill for more than two weeks, as Republican lawmakers struggle to elect a speaker.
In the Senate, however, leaders are promising to move quickly on the measure.
“I asked Secretary Austin when he needs funding for our ongoing efforts. His answer was crystal clear: Yesterday,” Senator Chuck Schumer, the majority leader, told reporters after a classified briefing at the Capitol with Defense Secretary Lloyd J. Austin III and other top defense, diplomatic and intelligence officials.
“The Senate will not wait,” to act on such requests, Mr. Schumer added. The New York Democrat has previously said he intends to put an emergency national security spending package on the Senate floor within a couple of weeks.
