WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden is urging Congress to quickly pass Ukraine aid in a move that would prioritize assistance for Kyiv over new Covid relief funding for the U.S.
“I call on Congress to pass the Ukrainian Supplemental funding bill immediately, and get it to my desk in the next few days,” Biden said in a statement Monday.
Biden and Democratic leaders had hoped to move a coronavirus aid package alongside the Ukraine aid, using the Ukrainian assistance as leverage to secure additional Covid funding, but Republicans balked, saying they would not approve new money to fight the pandemic without a vote on Biden’s decision to end a Trump-era border policy known as Title 42.
That left Biden and Democratic leaders little choice but to separate the two packages.
“Previously, I had recommended that Congress take overdue action on much needed funding for COVID treatments, vaccines and tests, as part of the Ukraine Supplemental bill. However, I have been informed by Congressional leaders in both parties that such an addition would slow down action on the urgently needed Ukrainian aid — a view expressed strongly by several Congressional Republicans,” Biden said in his statement.
His decision to separate the two bills should help clear the way for congressional approval of nearly $40 billion in funding for Ukraine, but it leaves in limbo a $10 billion pandemic relief bill that Biden and Democrats have said was a top priority as the U.S. tries to ensure it has enough vaccines, testing and treatments for a potential winter surge.
Biden has warned that without new funding for Ukraine, shipments of weapons and other aid would need to be halted in about 10 days.
I see luxury housing is being built in Salisbury allegedly for student housing but we all know it’ll be welfare housing
Of course he wants to pay back the millions the Ukrainians gave him and his son.
Zelensky is telling Biden to hand over the cash or he will go public with the Biden crime families dirty dealings with ukraine
He and Hunter are on the hook for this. They can wiggle but they won’t get away.
Putting Americans on the BACK-BURNER AGAIN !!!!
covid is not any worse than the flu (so says the FDA)(been a fake keep the people restained BS) so the money for covid relief isnt needed any more