The US Capitol building in Washington, DC. (Janes/Marc Selinger)
The US House of Representatives on 10 May approved a supplemental appropriations bill that would provide around USD40 billion in additional funding for Ukraine-related security, humanitarian, and economic assistance.
“The Ukrainian people – they need us,” said Representative Rosa DeLauro, a Connecticut Democrat who chairs the House Appropriations Committee. “They are in desperate need of our support,” she added.
The bill contains almost USD20 billion for the US Department of Defense (DoD), including USD8.7 billion to replenish US stocks of military equipment sent to Ukraine using presidential drawdown authority; USD6 billion for the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative (USAI), which enables the DoD to buy military supplies from industry for Ukraine's armed forces; USD3.9 billion to bolster US military operations in Europe; USD600 million to help industry accelerate missile production and expand domestic capacity for critical minerals; and USD500 million to increase DoD munition stocks.
The bill also contains USD4 billion for the US State Department's Foreign Military Financing programme to enable Ukraine and other countries in Eastern Europe to buy US defence equipment and services.
The bill, which is about USD7 billion higher than the request President Joe Biden sent to Congress on 28 April, heads to the US Senate for its consideration.
The pending legislation follows enactment of a USD13.6 billion Ukraine package on 15 March. Biden administration officials have said that much of the funding from the earlier measure is running out.
“We cannot afford to wait” to pass the new bill, said House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, a California Democrat who led a congressional delegation to Ukraine. “Time is of the essence,” she added.
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