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Oct 22 (CNBC) – The Biden administration on Friday requested more than $105 billion from Congress to support the security needs of Ukraine, Israel, Taiwan and the U.S. southern border.
President Joe Biden’s biggest request in the package is more than $61 billion for Ukraine. Since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the U.S. has unleashed an arsenal worth $44 billion in security assistance, according to figures provided by the State Department.
He’s also calling for an additional $14.3 billion for Israel, another $2 billion for Taiwan and Indo-Pacific security, and a little over $9 billion for humanitarian assistance.
Israel is at war with Hamas after the militant group launched a shocking and brutal terrorist attack Oct. 7. Meanwhile, there are rising tensions around Taiwan, which China claims as its own.
The White House said the supplemental funding request invests approximately $50 billion in the U.S. defense industry.
“The funding will expand production lines, strengthen the American economy, keep us safe, and create new American jobs,” Shalanda Young, director of the Office of Management and Budget, said Friday on a call with reporters.
The request comes as business in Congress is at a standstill as the House GOP remains divided over who should be the speaker. Hard-right Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio is pushing for a third vote after failing twice to secure the gavel.
Additionally, the White House is seeking $6.4 billion for border operations, pushing back against Republicans who have criticized it for not doing enough to contend with migration from Latin America. The request also includes about $1.2 billion for efforts aimed at countering fentanyl, which has driven a wave of deadly overdoses in the United States.
Young placed the blame on Congress for insufficient resources at the U.S. southern border.
“Some in Congress have said a lot about doing something on border security while refusing to take up the $4 billion request we sent in August to Congress,” Young said.
“We will not be lectured by those who refuse to act. As we’ve said repeatedly, Congress needs to take action to provide sufficient resources for the border,” she added.
National security advisor Jake Sullivan described the budget request as a reflection of U.S. leadership on the world stage.
“This budget request is critical to advancing America’s national security and ensuring the safety of the American people,” Sullivan said, adding “The world is closely watching what Congress does next.”
In a rare prime-time Thursday evening speech from the Oval Office, Biden previewed the funding request calling it a “smart investment that’s going to pay dividends for American security for generations.”
Biden said the additional funds for Israel’s and Ukraine’s war efforts will “help us keep American troops out of harm’s way, help us build a world that is safer, more peaceful and more prosperous for our children and grandchildren.”
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