Faced with the ongoing, globally denounced Russian military invasion of Ukraine, a bipartisan collection of House lawmakers this week introduced the Ukraine Democracy Defense Lend-Lease Act of 2022 – legislation that would make it easier to ship military equipment for Ukraine’s use.
The bill would be limited to materials for use in protecting civilians against the current invasion and to address broader U.S. national security concerns. To achieve this, it would alter the lend and lease authority granted to the President to reduce bureaucratic barriers surrounding military equipment’s lease.
Such power is granted to the President under the Arms Export Control Act, allowing them to lend and lease defense articles to U.S. partners and allies when deemed within the national security interest of the nation. That’s the simplified version: in truth, the allowance comes with many bureaucratic hoops of its own that the lawmakers supporting the Ukraine Democracy Defense Lend-Lease Act said would make it impractical, as is, for the current crisis overseas.
“I am grateful to introduce this bipartisan bill to ensure that red tape does not stand in the way of the courageous people of Ukraine as they fight for their families and the sovereignty of their country,” U.S. Rep. Joe Wilson (R-SC), Ranking Member of the Helsinki Commission, said. “There is historical precedent for lend-lease dating back to World War II, which was instrumental in defeating Hitler’s Nazi Germany. This war perpetrated by Vladimir Putin against Ukraine has united the world in its resolve against corrupt authoritarians and in admiration for the Ukrainian people. The US, along with our valued allies, must continue to supply Ukraine with the military equipment they need to repel this attack, and this legislation expedites and expands that process.”
Indeed, the Lend-Lease program was enacted in 1941, under President Franklin Roosevelt, as a very different war raged. Supporters of the update, like U.S. Rep. Steven Cohen (D-TN), co-chairman of the Helsinki Commission, said it could allow Ukrainians the ability to continue defending themselves without having to obligate U.S. troops to the fight.
The legislation acts as a companion to a Senate version previously introduced by U.S. Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX). In addition to Wilson and Cohen, it was backed by U.S. Reps. Liz Cheney (R-WY), Tom Malinowski (D-NJ), Mike Waltz (R-FL), and Elissa Slotkin (D-MI).
“When it comes to key national security issues, partisanship should stop at the water’s edge,” Slotkin said. “The Ukrainian people have shown incredible bravery in the last few days to protect their country, and I’m pleased that Republicans and Democrats are working together to make sure we have their backs. This bill will give the President the authority to lend and lease military equipment directly to the Ukrainian government to protect civilians and to give the Ukrainian Armed Forces the tools they need to continue to fight back against Russia’s unwarranted aggression.”