Biden’s defense supplemental adds to government shutdown battle.

President Biden’s Supplemental Request ⁤Sets Up Spending Showdown

President Joe Biden’s new‍ supplemental request for approximately $40 billion is⁢ causing a stir among lawmakers as they gear up for a‍ spending showdown this​ fall. The request, aimed at providing additional assistance for Ukraine, funding for border policies, and​ disaster recovery efforts, is already ⁣sparking controversy.

Emergency Funding Needs

The supplemental request, which senior administration officials say is necessary for the first quarter of 2024, includes‌ several key⁢ allocations. These​ include $24 billion for Ukraine, $4 billion for southern border and immigration operations, $12 billion to replenish the⁣ Department of Homeland Security’s disaster relief fund, and $60 million ‌to boost firefighter pay.

Republican Opposition

The request is already facing opposition from House Speaker‌ Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) and other Republicans in the Republican-led​ House. They have⁤ made it ‌clear⁢ that they will⁢ not approve aid to ⁢Ukraine for the next fiscal year. Hard-line House conservatives, who hold significant influence over the spending process, are pushing ​for bills with reduced ⁢spending to win​ over their support.

“No. This should be a non-starter for⁣ the House GOP,”‍ said Rep. Chip‍ Roy (R-TX). “It’s ⁤time to stand up for​ Americans and against the ‍uniparty.”

While the request may gain some bipartisan support, at least one senior GOP ‍member has expressed⁤ doubts about Republicans having enough votes to⁤ pass ‌a Ukraine ⁣supplemental without Democratic help.

Time is Running Out

Time is‌ of the essence for lawmakers to approve funding ⁤before the⁤ existing U.S. aid for Ukraine runs out by the end of September. Congress has already approved $113⁢ billion in aid to Ukraine since the start of the war, but funding for Ukraine has ‌decreased⁤ in popularity among‍ House Republicans in recent‍ months.

Bipartisan Support in⁢ the Senate

Senators on​ both sides of the aisle appear more inclined to support President Biden’s request. The​ debt ceiling deal passed in ‍June limited Pentagon ⁢spending for the next two⁤ years, which was a contentious issue for defense hawks. Senate⁤ Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) has expressed the need for supplemental aid to Ukraine and has criticized the defense spending levels in the new⁣ debt limit law.

“The ‌defense​ number is totally inadequate to meet the challenges that we​ have in ‌Asia,⁣ not to mention Ukraine,” McConnell said during a‍ press conference.‌ “It’s a ⁣problem. ‌It’s a serious problem that hopefully we’ll find some way over the course of the year to⁣ address.”

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) ⁣also supports President Biden’s request ⁤and anticipates challenges in ⁣reconciling the funding requests between the two ⁤chambers.

Deadline Approaching

Lawmakers ​have approximately three ⁢weeks to pass a federal budget before ‌the⁢ September 30 deadline. Budget disagreements often drag out, with a final deal reached at the last minute. If an agreement cannot⁢ be reached, lawmakers may⁢ resort⁣ to passing a continuing resolution to maintain current⁤ funding​ levels while⁢ negotiations continue. However, some hard-line conservatives are not ruling out a government shutdown to push for the budget’s ‍passage.

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