The U.S. House of Representatives advanced a $95 billion package (H.R.815) over the weekend that will include aid for Ukraine and Israel, and billions in support for the domestic defense industrial base.
The Ukraine portion of the bill passed 311-112, with one vote as simply present, but it, together with the Israel aid bill, a Taiwan aid bill and a bill to force the sale of TikTok, now head back to the Senate for reconciliation before moving to President Joe Biden or signature. They advanced weeks after the Senate passed a single bill containing all three aid packages and funding for border security that Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) refused to bring to the floor.
“This bipartisan legislation will allow the Department to surge lifesaving security assistance to help Ukraine defend itself from Russia’s aggression, support Israel’s defense from Iran and its proxies, and increase the flow of urgently needed humanitarian aid to suffering Palestinian civilians in Gaza,” Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin III said after the legislation advanced from the House.
Austin also applauded the approximately $50 billion the bills would provide for the defense industrial base and associated jobs. Domestic manufacturers likewise heaped praise on the legislation, including the Aerospace Industries Association (AIA).
“In an era of escalating global threats, the supplemental funding for Ukraine, Israel, and the Indo-Pacific is not just an investment in global stability, but also the American defense industrial base,” Eric Fanning, AIA president and CEO, said in a statement before the vote. “The majority of these funds stay within our own borders, backfilling U.S. stocks with the newest technology, bolstering our economy, and reinforcing the bedrock of our national security. This is a strategic infusion of resources that will expand our production capacity, support high-quality American jobs, and ensure that the U.S. military remains the most capable and best-equipped force in the world.”
Specifically, the legislation doles out extra funding for the DoD, Department of Energy, National Nuclear Security Administration and others; provides funding assistance for the mentioned nations – with demanded oversight; supports improvements to the submarine industrial base; backs development and production of isotopes; and offers humanitarian and refugee assistance, among others.
If passed, the legislation will also authorize expanded authorities for the president to transfer defense equipment and services to foreign nations or international organizations, but prohibit funds from being used as payments for the UN Relief and Works Agency. It would also authorize actions such as sanctions against those engaged in fentanyl and opioid trafficking.
The most attention, however, was on the $60.8 billion it would provide for Ukraine and $26 billion for Israel.
“With these votes, we will support our allies and partners overseas in their struggle against conquest by authoritarian nations,” U.S. Rep. Betty McCollum (D-MN) said. “And we will continue to stand up for democratic governance and democratic values here at home and abroad. This security supplemental is urgently needed because the situation in Ukraine has become dire. Vladimir Putin continues to murder Ukrainian civilians on a daily basis, and the Ukrainian military is in desperate need of the security and economic support from the U.S. that this legislation will provide.
“In the Middle East, President Biden continues to work to de-escalate conflict between Israel and Iran, and we must do everything in our power to prevent a regional war. But Palestinian civilians in Gaza continue to suffer from lack of food, water, and fuel. The United States must do more to prevent starvation in Gaza. The supplemental will provide desperately needed humanitarian assistance to accomplish that.”
In a separate statement, President Joe Biden likewise lauded the House for passing the bill, saying that bipartisan lawmakers voted through a clear message about American leadership on the world stage.
“At this critical inflection point, they came together to answer history’s call, passing urgently-needed national security legislation that I have fought for months to secure,” Biden said.
In addition to the Ukrainian and Israeli support, the legislation would provide $8.12 billion for Taiwan. After the House’s actions, Senate leaders signaled that they were in support of the legislation as a whole, and were working to get unanimous support for its stipulations to move it quickly through to Biden’s desk.
“This legislation will make America more secure and save lives,” Austin said. We have seen yet again that the troubles of our times will only worsen without strong, steady U.S. leadership to advance our core security interests. The world is still watching. Lives are still on the line. America’s long-term security is still at stake. We must never give our friends, our rivals, or our foes any reason to doubt America’s resolve.”