According to ABC News, the Biden administration is requesting $47 billion from Congress to help with “four essential needs”: COVID-19, monkeypox, natural disaster recovery, and support for Ukraine.
The next government funding bill, which would continue to pay federal operations after September 30, is linked to the White House proposal. According to representatives of the Biden administration, the request would serve as a stopgap until the first quarter of fiscal year 2023, which runs from October through December of current year.
An administration source told reporters on Friday that “all of the requests in here fulfil critical budget demands.”
The official stated, “It is our duty to inform Congress of what we require in order to satisfy these urgent needs. These have previously enjoyed bipartisan support, and we fully anticipate that Congress will cooperate with us to resolve each of them.
Nevertheless, some aspects of the request will probably encounter opposition, according to ABC News. Democrats have been pushing for additional financing for COVID-19 for months, but Republicans have traditionally opposed allocating more money for emergency response activities.
The financial request would be divided mostly between public health initiatives. The COVID-19 tests, vaccines, medications, and personal protective equipment are the subjects of the Biden administration’s $22.4 billion budget request. A portion of the funds would be used for long-term COVID treatment services as well as “next-generation” research focusing on new vaccinations and potential variations.
The federal government’s programme allowing Americans to request free at-home COVID tests was discontinued on Friday, September 2. Since the start of January, more than 600 million tests have been delivered to American households, according to ABC News. Until new money is authorised or COVID-19 infections start to rise once more, the programme will be put on hold.
Money is also requested by the White House to combat the epidemic of monkeypox. According to the most recent CDC data, the U.S. leads the globe in cases, with 19,465 confirmed cases out of the 52,000 cases reported globally. The Biden administration is requesting $3.9 billion for examinations, shots, medications, and operational support in addition to $600 million to stop the spread of monkeypox on a global scale.
According to Shalanda Young, director of the Office of Management and Budget, “this investment will also assist ensure the United States remains at the head of the line for the greatest instruments to battle any potential future outbreak.”
According to ABC News, the financial request’s support for Ukraine would take second place to public health in terms of importance. The Biden administration is requesting $11.7 billion in order to give Ukraine access to military hardware, intelligence collection, and direct budget support. $2 billion more would be allocated to domestic energy-related challenges associated with the conflict.
According to ABC News, the cash proposal also includes a sizable part for U.S. natural disasters. The Federal Emergency Management Agency Disaster Relief Fund is in need of $6.5 billion, according to the Biden administration, in order to deal with crises brought on by heat waves, wildfires, droughts, flooding, and other extreme weather conditions, including major catastrophes in California, Kentucky, Louisiana, and Texas. A portion of the funds would also go to local governments that need to improve their power infrastructure and struggling farmers.
Young declared, “This administration will keep working with members of both parties in Congress to accomplish these vital requirements for the American people. In the upcoming fiscal year, “We look forward to securing a bipartisan financial agreement that supports national interests.”
