POLITICS Biden seeks nearly $40 billion in funding for Ukraine, disaster relief and border

The White House announced a request for nearly $40 billion in additional funding on Thursday. This will be used to respond to natural disasters and provide more aid to Ukraine, such as wildland firefighters’ pay and border management.

The White House wants $12 billion in ongoing disaster relief. $60 million for pay increases for firefighters. $3.9 billion for border and migration issues.

FEMA and other federal agencies were mobilized in response to the deadly fires that have already killed more than 30 people in Hawaii. Joe Biden announced that FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell will be in Maui by Friday. However, he warned that the danger was “not yet over.”

Biden also requests over $24 billion additional funding to help Ukraine defend itself against Russia’s illegal invasion.

The U.S., in the 18 months that have passed since Russian troops invaded Ukraine’s borders, has released a war chest of more than $43billion to boost Kyiv’s arsenal.

Biden has pledged the majority of the military aid to Ukraine. He is up for reelection in 2012. The U.S. also committed to provide economic and humanitarian assistance to Ukraine, as well as funding to NATO allies.

John Kirby, a spokesman for the National Security Council, told reporters in an earlier press conference that the White House is confident of receiving “bipartisan”, “bicameral”, and “bipartisan”, support from Congress when asked to comment on the White House’s upcoming funding request.

“For those who might be worried that the financial costs are getting too expensive, you know, I would ask them to think about what these costs will be — not only in treasure, but also in blood, possibly even American blood — when Putin subjugates Ukraine, and then turns his attentions on our NATO Allies,” Kirby told reporters in a teleconference Wednesday.

If we sit back and allow Putin to win, if he takes Ukraine, what happens next?

Kirby said, “Throughout this war, we have seen solid support for Ukraine from the American public, as well as solid support in the Congress, both bipartisan and bicameral. We will continue to focus on that.”