Supplemental Funding Request

This week, Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III and Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken testified on the Administration’s $106 billion package for Israel, Ukraine, Taiwan, and border security funding.   Republicans raised questions about whether assistance for Israel should be sectioned off and voted on as a stand-alone bill.  House Speaker Johnson said that the House will take up an Israel aid package this week, separate from Ukraine funding.   Per the Speaker, "there are lots of things going on around the world that we have to address, and we will. But right now, what's happening in Israel takes the immediate attention, and I think we've got to separate that and get it through. I believe there'll be bipartisan support for that, and I'm going to push very hard for it." Austin and Blinken opposed calls to break the package into separate measures, emphasizing the urgent need to move aid for Ukraine and Israel in tandem.