The bills in the House’s foreign aid package, which will be up for a vote Saturday, would appropriate a combined $95 billion for Ukraine, Israel, and the Indo-Pacific, with a lion’s share of $60.84 billion for Ukraine.
House Republicans on the Appropriations Committee released a memo Wednesday outlining the funding breakdown for the three bills in the package, which President Joe Biden quickly endorsed. House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) is combining the three bills into a single rule, which would unlock votes on all three bills if the rule passes on Saturday.
UKRAINE
The Ukraine Security Supplemental Appropriations Act, which is 49 pages, has the highest price tag, at nearly $61 billion, “to address the conflict in Ukraine and assist our regional partners as they counter Russia,” the appropriations document states.
The figure includes:
• $23.2 billion to replenish defense articles and defense services provided to Ukraine.
• $11.3 billion for current U.S. military operations in the region.
• $13.8 billion for the procurement of advanced weapons systems, defense articles, and defense services.
• $26 million to continue oversight and accountability of aid and equipment provided to
Ukraine.
The document states that the bill “Mandates agreement on repayment for economic support by the government of Ukraine.”
ISRAEL
The 25-page Israel Security Supplemental Appropriations Act would allocate 26.38 billion “to support Israel in its effort to defend itself against Iran and its proxies, and to reimburse U.S. military operations in response to recent attacks,” according to the House GOP appropriation committee wrote.
The spending breakdown is as follows:
• $4 billion to replenish Iron Dome and David’s Sling missile defense systems.
• $1.2 billion for the Iron Beam defense system to counter short-range rockets and mortar
threats.
• $3.5 billion for the procurement of advanced weapons systems, defense articles, and
defense services through the Foreign Military Financing Program.
• $1 billion to enhance the production and development of artillery and critical munitions.
• $4.4 billion to replenish defense articles and defense services provided to Israel.
• $2.4 billion for current U.S. military operations in the region in response to recent
attacks.
The bill also blocks the funds from going to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency.
INDO-PACIFIC
The third and final bill is the 15-page Indo-Pacific Security Supplemental Appropriations, which would commit 8.12 billion “to counter communist China,” including sending $2 billion to Taiwan.
Here is the breakdown:
• $3.3 billion to develop submarine infrastructure, including investments in dry dock
construction.
• $2 billion in Foreign Military Financing Program for Taiwan and other key allies and
security partners in the Indo-Pacific confronting Chinese aggression.
• $1.9 billion to replenish defense articles and defense services provided to Taiwan and
regional partners.
• $542 million to strengthen U.S. military capabilities in the region.
• $133 million to enhance the production and development of artillery and critical
It also makes military financing loans and loan guarantees more flexible, per the Appropriations Committee Republicans.
Biden’s endorsement of the “package” comes as Johnson’s aim at bundling the bills under one rule has caused growing dissatisfaction among his conference.
Moreover, some Republicans have criticized the package’s lack of border security legislation, and a growing number have publicly voiced opposition to Johnson’s rule, meaning he will need help from Democrats to pass it and unlock the votes.
Meanwhile, he faces a call to resign from Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY), who cosponsored Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene’s (R-GA) motion to vacate against Johnson on Tuesday.
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