President Biden signed a bill Tuesday that will provide $13.6 billion in new military and humanitarian aid to Ukraine as part of $1.5 trillion in federal spending that will fund the government through September.
At a White House signing ceremony, Mr. Biden said the funds will “support the brave people of Ukraine as they defend their country.”
“We’re also going to be better positioned to provide for the rapidly growing humanitarian needs of the Ukrainian people,” Mr. Biden said. “This war has turned nearly 3 million Ukrainians into refugees with numbers growing every single day.”
Roughly half the $13.6 billion would arm Ukraine and cover the cost of sending U.S. troops to other Eastern European nations to assist with the refugee crisis and boost NATO.
The rest is for humanitarian aid, bolstering allies’ support in the region, and protecting cybersecurity needs.
The bill also includes about $730 billion in new domestic spending, a 7% increase over fiscal 2021. The initiatives include new spending for public schools, grants for police, and historically black colleges and universities.
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Mr. Biden hailed Republicans and Democrats for coming together to pass the bill, saying it sends a “strong message” that both parties can work together for the American people.
• Jeff Mordock can be reached at jmordock@washingtontimes.com.
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