Can Congress prioritize clothing our Marines over funding Ukraine’s ongoing war?
Now that Congress has funded the federal government for the next month and a half, the White House and lawmakers on Capitol Hill are hard at work looking for ways to pour more U.S. taxpayer money into Ukraine’s forever war with Russia.
During a White House press briefing on Monday, Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre fretted that the administration is running out of the money needed to bankroll its continuing proxy war with Moscow. Government officials estimate there is approximately $6 billion remaining in military funds for Ukraine.
“It is enough to — for us to meet the — meet Ukraine’s urgent battlefield needs for a bit — for a bit longer,” Jean-Pierre told reporters.
Even though a majority of Americans oppose continued U.S. funding for Ukraine, congressional Democrats spent a significant portion of this past weekend’s spending fight arguing that more aid be shipped to the Eastern European nation. It was thanks to House Republicans and a handful of GOP senators that Congress ultimately approved a 45-day continuing resolution devoid of such funding.
Of course, this hasn’t stopped President Joe Biden or congressional leadership from professing their support for shipping more U.S. tax dollars to Ukraine. While discussing the spending fight, Biden suggested he’d reached an agreement with House Speaker Kevin McCarthy to continue funding the conflict. Despite pushing back on the president’s insinuation that a deal had been made, McCarthy did proclaim to reporters on Monday that he’s “always supported arming Ukraine” and “believe[s] Ukraine is very important.”
Congress and the Biden administration committed more than $113 billion in U.S. taxpayer dollars to Ukraine in 2022, according to the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget.
But while Washington overzealously focuses on Ukraine’s military, concerns affecting America’s own armed forces have gone by the wayside. On Thursday, the U.S. Marine Corps announced it is lowering its uniform standards to compensate for a shortage of camouflage attire typically worn by service members. According to Commandant Gen. Eric Smith, local battalions are “authorized” to wear alternate attire contrary to Marine regulations to “mitigate” an ongoing manufacturing shortfall that’s left service members struggling to acquire woodland-patterned “cammies.”
“What we cannot have is a situation where a Marine is wearing unserviceable cammies, because that looks bad for the Corps, and we can’t have a situation where that Marine is being given a hard time about those unserviceable cammies. We’re going to get this fixed, Marines, but it’s going to take a little patience,” Smith said, adding that the problem won’t be fixed until the fall of 2024.
According to the Marine Corps Times, service members normally receive “three sets of woodland cammies and two sets of desert cammies.” Due to the ongoing shortage, however, the service has been providing Marines “two woodland sets and one desert set.” Meanwhile, new enlistees have reportedly been forced to undergo “entry-level training in flame-resistant organizational gear,” which are “typically reserved for deployments,” to compensate for the shortages.
Shawn Fleetwood is a staff writer for The Federalist and a graduate of the University of Mary Washington. He previously served as a state content writer for Convention of States Action and his work has been featured in numerous outlets, including RealClearPolitics, RealClearHealth, and Conservative Review. Follow him on Twitter @ShawnFleetwood
Why are congressional Democrats advocating for more aid to be sent to Ukraine despite opposition from the majority of Americans?
U.S. Funding for Ukraine’s Forever War: A Concerning Allocation of Taxpayer Money
After Congress recently funded the federal government for the next month and a half, attention has turned towards a troubling issue – the allocation of more U.S. taxpayer funds into Ukraine’s ongoing conflict with Russia. Both the White House and lawmakers on Capitol Hill have been actively seeking ways to increase spending in what some view as an unending proxy war.
During a White House press briefing on Monday, Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre expressed concern that the administration is running out of the money needed to sustain its engagement with Moscow. It is estimated that there is approximately $6 billion remaining in military funds for Ukraine, which Jean-Pierre states is enough to meet Ukraine’s urgent battlefield needs for a little longer.
However, despite the majority of Americans opposing continued U.S. funding for Ukraine, congressional Democrats have spent a significant portion of the recent spending fight advocating for more aid to be sent to the Eastern European nation. Only due to the efforts of House Republicans and a handful of GOP senators did Congress ultimately approve a 45-day continuing resolution without such funding.
Nevertheless, President Joe Biden and congressional leadership have not wavered in their support for sending more U.S. tax dollars to Ukraine. Biden suggested he had reached an agreement with House Speaker Kevin McCarthy to continue funding the conflict, although McCarthy pushed back on this claim. Regardless, McCarthy reiterated his support for arming Ukraine and emphasized the nation’s importance.
In 2022, Congress and the Biden administration committed over $113 billion in U.S. taxpayer dollars to Ukraine, according to the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget. This massive allocation of funds raises concerns about the prioritization of Ukraine’s military over the needs of America’s own armed forces.
While Washington remains focused on Ukraine, pressing concerns affecting the U.S. military have been largely overlooked. For instance, just recently, the U.S. Marine Corps announced that it is lowering its uniform standards due to a shortage of camouflage attire typically worn by service members. This move indicates a significant lack of attention to the well-being and proper equipment of America’s own military personnel.
In light of these developments, it is crucial for policymakers to reassess the allocation of taxpayer money. While support for Ukraine is important, it should not come at the expense of adequately addressing the needs of America’s armed forces. Finding a balance between international aid and domestic concerns is essential to ensure the well-being and security of the United States and its citizens.
In the coming months, it will be important for Congress and the Biden administration to carefully evaluate the allocation of funds and consider the impact on both domestic and international priorities. The well-being of America’s armed forces and the concerns of its citizens should not be forgotten in the pursuit of geopolitical interests.
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