Biden seeking additional $105B from Congress for Israel, Ukraine, border

By Michael Hernandez

WASHINGTON (AA) - The Biden administration requested an additional sum of over $105 billion in funding from Congress on Friday in order to fund major priorities, including emergency funding to further arm Ukraine and Israel, and ramp up security along the US-Mexico border.

The request is being directed to Representative Patrick McHenry, the speaker pro tempore of the House of Representatives, amid persistent uncertainty in the chamber over whether Republicans will be able to coalesce around a permanent speaker any time soon.

Jim Jordan is still attempting to secure enough support among Republicans to succeed ousted speaker Kevin McCarthy, but has repeatedly failed to secure enough votes.

Amid the political uncertainty, the White House said it is seeking $14.3 billion to aid Israel, including about $4 billion earmarked for replenishing Israeli Iron Dome and David's Sling air and missile defense systems. About $1.2 billion is being sought to aid Israel's development of the development its Iron Beam laser air defense system.

The US already provides Israel with about $3.8 billion in military aid annually -- the most of any nation worldwide.

The majority of the total request -- roughly $61 billion -- is being sought to provide Ukraine with additional tranches of US military assistance. US President Joe Biden has nearly exhausted funds previously allocated by Congress.

The administration is requesting just over $9 billion to provide additional humanitarian aid worldwide, including to respond to the crisis in the beseiged Gaza Strip.

The Ukraine funding, in particular, could be a major hurdle in the Republican-held House where a growing number of GOP lawmakers have been voicing opposition to further funding for Kyiv.

But any action on the broader spending package would first require Republicans to either come up with enough support within their caucus to elect a new speaker, or far less likely, reach across the aisle to usher a consensus candidate into the role with Democratic support.

Without a permanent speaker, the House is frozen, and unable to act on any funding requests. It could empower McHenry, the interim speaker, to move legislation through the chamber, but a vote Thursday to do so failed to gain enough support.