President Joe Biden will send Congress an expansive military aid request on Friday, seeking roughly $100 billion in assistance for Israel, Ukraine and Taiwan, as well as cash to handle the influx of migrants at the U.S.-Mexico border, according to sources familiar with the request.
The package will include about $60 billion for Ukraine and around $10 billion for Israel, the sources said. NBC News first reported some of the details of the request, which won’t be finalized until later Thursday.
The assistance proposal follows a classified briefing for senators on Wednesday on Israel’s defense needs and comes on the heels of Biden’s visit to Tel Aviv, where he delivered a decisive commitment of U.S. support to Israeli leaders: “You’re not alone.”
The Senate is expected to take up the legislation in the coming weeks. Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said Thursday the chamber will “spring into action and move it as soon as we can. [Defense] Secretary Austin was clear — they need those funds yesterday.”
Congress has thus far snubbed the administration’s $24 billion request for three months of Ukraine funding, leaving out any money for the country’s defense against Russia in last month’s spending bill. But the Senate is forging ahead on what lawmakers hope is a year of funding for the country, crafting what they believe could be a national security package that will prove so popular the House GOP is forced to accept it.
