The House is moving toward approving a massive spending bill anchored by $13.6 billion for battered Ukraine and its European allies
While enmity toward Putin and a desire to send assistance to the region is virtually universal in Congress, lawmakers have had a hard time finding unity on other steps. In one area of agreement, the House was also planning to vote on a bill banning Russian oil imports — Biden imposed such a ban this week — and levying other sanctions, underscoring lawmakers’ eagerness to demonstrate they’re taking action.
Pelosi eventually relented and decided to remove all pandemic spending from the government-wide, $1.5 trillion package. That underscored the pressure Congress feels to help Ukraine resist the Russian invasion before it's too late and to help nearby nations bolster their militaries and absorb over 2 million refugees fleeing the fighting.
The new bill is infused with election-year victories for both parties. Democrats won a 6.7% increase over last year in domestic programs, to a total of $730 billion. Republicans were able to boost defense programs to $782 billion, a 5.6% increase. The bill would increase spending for child nutrition and child care, local law enforcement, improving broadband in rural areas, and education aid for disabled students and historically black colleges and universities.
More money would be spent for a program aimed at preventing and responding to sexual assaults in the military. There was $1 million to change the names of bases and roads in installations named after Confederate leaders.
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