Biden considering $100 billion aid request for Israel, Ukraine, and Taiwan

(Patria) - US President Joe Biden may consider an additional request of around $100 billion that would include defense aid for Israel, Ukraine, and Taiwan, multiple sources familiar with the request told Reuters.

Biden was expected to ask Congress to pass an additional spending bill within days as Washington responds to Hamas’s Oct. 7 attack on Israel while also seeking to continue supporting Ukraine as it battles Russia’s invasion.

The news came as Biden prepared to travel to Tel Aviv and Amman to show support for Israel and also meet with the leaders of Jordan and Egypt about the humanitarian crisis in Gaza Senate leaders said earlier they expected Biden to send them a request by the end of this week for billions of dollars in aid for Israel, Ukraine and Taiwan and for security at the U.S. border.

Two sources said the request was for a full year of funding. Senator Ben Cardin, a Democrat and chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said he had not yet seen a concrete figure for the additional request, but he would not be surprised if it was as much as $100 billion.

“I hope it’s enough to get us through 2024,” Cardin said.

He said he thought it had a good chance of passing the Senate with support from both Biden’s fellow Democrats and Republicans.

“I think this is our best shot to get it done,” Cardin said.

Israel requested $10 billion

However, there is uncertainty about any bill in Congress, which under U.S. law controls spending. The Republican-led House of Representatives is without a speaker and has been unable to pass legislation since Kevin McCarthy was ousted on Oct. 3.

A source in Congress said Israel requested ten billion. Israel already receives $3.8 billion annually from the United States, according to a 10-year agreement that began in 2016.

Congress has already approved $113 billion in security, humanitarian, and economic aid to Ukraine since Russian troops poured into its territory in February 2022. Bloomberg first reported that Biden was considering a $100 billion request.

“We will do everything in our power to ensure the Senate passes support for Israel and the rest of the package. We intend to get the package done by the end of this week,” Senate Majority Leader, Democratic Senator Chuck Schumer, said.

Senator Mitch McConnell, the top Republican in the House, said he expected the request to include aid for Israel, Ukraine, and Taiwan, and said Republicans want to include “something serious” for the border.

Top Biden administration officials will hold a classified briefing for the Senate today on the situation in Israel and Gaza. Schumer said Democratic Senator Bob Menendez, who faces charges of acting as an unregistered agent for Egypt, will not attend.