Biden mulls $60B for Ukraine, $10B for Israel in funding request – source

WASHINGTON – US President Joe Biden’s administration is considering $60 billion in assistance for Ukraine and $10 billion for Israel in a supplemental spending request he will send to Congress as soon as Friday, a source familiar with the matter told Reuters on Wednesday.

Mr. Biden has been widely expected to ask Congress to pass a supplemental spending bill quickly, as Washington responds to the deadly Oct. 7 attack on Israel by Hamas militants while looking to continue to support Ukraine as it grapples with a Russian invasion.

Multiple sources familiar with the request told Reuters on Tuesday that Biden was considering a supplemental request of about $100 billion that would include defense aid for Israel, Ukraine and Taiwan, as well as funding for efforts to beef up security on the US border with Mexico.

Senator Jim Risch, the top Republican on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said he was not aware of the $100 billion figure, except from news reports.

He told a news conference he had heard that the administration was considering $10 billion for Israel.

Administration officials did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Several sources said on Wednesday that Biden has not settled on a final figure, and the breakdown has not been communicated to Congress.

Under US law, Congress, not the executive branch, controls spending. – Reuters