Top lawmakers reach deal on Ukraine aid, $1.5T spending

[Mr. Sparkle]

Source: Ap



Congressional leaders reached a bipartisan deal early Wednesday providing $13.6 billion to help Ukraine and European allies plus billions more to battle the pandemic as part of an overdue $1.5 trillion measure financing federal agencies for the rest of this year.

Though a tiny fraction of the massive bill, the money countering a Russian blitzkrieg that’s devastated parts of Ukraine and prompted Europe’s worst refugee crisis since World War II ensured the measure would pass with robust bipartisan support. President Joe Biden requested $10 billion for military, humanitarian and economic aid last week, and Democratic and Republican backing was so staunch that the figure grew to $12 billion Monday and $13.6 billion just a day later. “We’re going to support them against tyranny, oppression, violent acts of subjugation,” Biden said at the White House.

Party leaders planned to whip the 2,741-page measure through the House on Wednesday and the Senate by week’s end, though that chamber’s exact timing was unclear. Lawmakers were spurred by the urgency of helping Ukraine before Russia’s military might makes it too late.They also faced a Friday deadline to approve the government-wide spending measure or face a weekend election-year federal shutdown. As a backstop against delays, the House planned to pass a bill Wednesday keeping agencies afloat through March 15.



Read more: https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-biden-covid-health-business-fa702b0f9efa4805b622739d302bc4cf

[obamanut2012]

1. Did Manchin insist on a work requirement

:rimshot:

[Grins]

2. "...and if Ukraine needs more, just ask us!"

$13 billion is too little.

We spent $300 million PER DAY in Afghanistan. Ukraine is worth FAR MORE!

Make it $100 billion; for starters. It’s that important.

[lark]

3. Now the traitorous R's are holding up the package and refusing to sign on over Covid $$,

Don't know why they are so determined to kill us old folks, old white folks are the majority of their yahoos? Or is this just another ploy to keep getting Russian rubles by the millions, billions? I think it's the later. Of course they do hate Americas working class, so it could be win/win in their minds. They will do anything and everything to destroy liberal democracy here and worldwide, they are just the same as putin.