White House says COVID-19 money on ’empty’ as it ties approval to Ukraine aid
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The administration is requesting $32.5 billion in pandemic, Ukraine aid
A request sent to Congress from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) seeks $22.5 billion in immediate COVID-19 response needs with an ask for $10 billion to provide support to Ukraine following Russia’s invasion.
The Biden administration has warned that COVID-19 testing manufacturers will start to slow production of at-home rapid tests this month – unless the federal government signs contracts to purchase more.
However, lawmakers have struggled to reach a spending agreement for the current fiscal year and Republicans have expressed concerns over how much money would be spent towards pandemic relief.
“Oh no, that’s too much,” Alabama Sen. Richard Shelby said Thursday when asked about the administration’s $22.5 billion request. “And secondly, we want to see how much money is out there” that hasn’t been spent yet from previously approved COVID-19 funding.
Utah Sen. Mitt Romney and 35 other GOP senators wrote to President Biden on Tuesday saying they want a “full accounting” of how the government has spent funds already provided before supporting new money.
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