Biden administration seeks $32.5bln more in Ukraine and COVID-19 aid

WASHINGTON- President Joe Biden's administration is seeking $32.5 billion in additional funding from Congress to bolster the U.S. COVID response and help Ukraine, the White House said on Thursday, citing two "urgent and immediate needs." The $22.5 billion in COVID funding plus $10 billion in emergency military and humanitarian aid for Ukraine should be included in Congress' larger spending bill to fund the U.S. government expected to come by March 11, OMB Acting Director Shalanda Young said in a statement. Previous COVID response bills have enabled Americans to get vaccinated and tested, as well as allowed donations to the world, but nearly all those funds have been used, she said. "We are therefore urging Congress to promptly provide $22.5 billion to cover immediate needs for tests, treatments and vaccines, investments in research and development of next-generation vaccines, and responding globally, including getting more shots in arms around the world," she wrote. The additional resources will allow the government to secure the treatments, vaccines and tests for the coming months and also to fight future variants, she said. It will also ensure the continuation of free community testing, treatment and vaccination coverage for uninsured individuals. Young cited "an immediate need" for the aid to help Ukraine and other Central European allies in the wake of the Russian invasion last week. Those funds would help train Ukraine's military, protect its electrical grid, boost its cyberdefenses and enforce sanctions, she wrote. The White House asked Congress to approve $6.4 billion in aid to address the humanitarian and security crisis in Ukraine the day after Russia invaded on Feb 24. Russia calls its actions in Ukraine a “special operation.” Lawmakers had passed a so-called stopgap spending bill to fund federal agencies through next Friday and must pass another measure by then to avert a government shutdown. While there has been large bipartisan support for the Ukrainian aid, Republicans have balked at additional funds to fight COVID-19, with 36 conservative U.S. senators on Wednesday demanding a full accounting of the money authorized so far before considering any more federal funds. Biden's fellow Democrats control both chambers of Congress. The request was first reported by the Washington Post and Punchbowl News. (Reporting by Doina Chiacu and Susan Heavey; Editing by Raissa Kasolowsky, Chizu Nomiyama and Mark Porter)

Biden administration seeks $32.5bln more in Ukraine and COVID-19 aid

DISCOVER MORE

Amazon to cut 9,000 jobs in second round of layoffs

FTX sues liquidators of its Bahamian affiliate over crypto exchange ownership

Chile's economy shrinks 2.3% in Q4 -central bank

SNB offers $100bln to help UBS Group take over Credit Suisse

Goldman Sachs prepares claims trading for wiped out Credit Suisse debt - Bloomberg News

New York Community Bancorp unit to buy Signature Bank assets - FDIC

How AI 'revolution' is shaking up journalism

Warren Buffett in discussions with Biden officials on banking crisis

Can GCC banks manage contagion risk from Silicon Valley Bank collapse?

Saudi National Bank says no impact on growth plans from Credit Suisse

SNB offers $100bln to help UBS Group take over Credit Suisse

Oman reveals list of 103 countries whose citizens can visit visa free

Saudi PIF-owned SRC buys home loans worth $1.33bln from Al Rajhi Bank

U.S. targets Russian yachts, cellist linked to Putin over Ukraine war

In first since Ukraine invasion, Pentagon chief speaks with Russian counterpart

After Biden remark, U.S. yet to commit to its own genocide probe of Russia

U.S. to end COVID order blocking asylum seekers at border with Mexico

How COVID-19 reflected and shaped regional differences in US

LATEST VIDEO

VIDEO: Saudi crown prince launches new national airline

ZAWYA COVERAGE

ACWA Power CEO Paddy Padmanathan retires after 18 years of service

Dubai’s DEWA, JPMorgan tackle ways to cooperate in green, sustainable financing

Saudi ACWA Power signs deals to invest $2.5bln in green projects in Uzbekistan

Healthcare expenditure in GCC to reach $135.5bln in 2027

Amazon to cut 9,000 jobs in second round of layoffs

India's strong corporate debt profile key to macroeconomic stability

Somalia's drought killed 43,000 last year, half under five

Mideast Stocks: Most Gulf bourses end lower as oil prices drop; Egypt rises

UAE President, Romanian President review bilateral relations, regional issues

THE BRI REPORT

China is reshaping the Belt and Road Initiative ahead of a post-pandemic era

DISCOVER MORE

LATEST VIDEO

ZAWYA NEWSLETTERS

ZAWYA COVERAGE