The House of Representatives will vote Tuesday night on an additional $40 billion in aid to the Ukraine that includes $67 million for the Justice Department to sell off the seized yachts of Russian oligarchs.
‘Time is of the essence – and we cannot afford to wait,’ Speaker Nancy Pelosi said in announcing the vote. ‘With this aid package, America sends a resounding message to the world of our unwavering determination to stand with the courageous people of Ukraine until victory is won.’
Lawmakers increased President Joe Biden’s original $33 billion request, adding $3.4 billion in military aid and $3.4 billion in humanitarian assistance, for the Ukrainians.
The money includes $67 million for DOJ’s General Administration section to help cover the costs of seizing, retaining, and selling forfeited property – such as the yachts of Russian oligarchs -r elated to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
The Biden administration plans to sell off the seized assets of Vladimir Putin’s cronies and give the money to the Ukraine to help them fight off the Russian invasion.
The United States already has sezied a $90 million yacht owned by Viktor Vekselberg, called the Tango. And that is just a portion of the $1 billion in yachts, planes and artwork — not to mention hundreds of millions in cash — that the United States has identified as belonging to Putin’s wealthy friends. Americans, working in Fiji, have also sezied a $300 million yacht beloning to Suleiman Kerimov, a Russian gold magnate.
The legislation also includes $8.7 billion to replenish US stocks of equipment sent to Ukraine through drawdown authority.
The U.S. Embassy in Kyiv is getting $300 million for operations, security and relocation. The embassy was closed with Russia’s invasion but administration officials have said they want to reopen it.
There is $900 million for refugees, which will fund housing, English language classes, trauma and support services, community support (including school impact grants), and case management.
The Senate could take up the package next week.
‘After the House passes the legislation, it is my intention for the Senate to act on it as soon as we can,’ Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said in a speech on the Senate floor on Tuesday.
But lawmakers split off $10 billion in funding for the covid pandemic in order to rush through money for the war-torn country, which is entering its second month of fighting off Russia’s invasion.
While the Ukraine aid is expected to sail through, there is no clear outlook for the covid funds that Democrats had originally tied to the foreign aid.
Biden signed off on the deal that dropped covid funding.
‘Previously, I had recommended that Congress take overdue action on much needed funding for COVID treatments, vaccines and tests, as part of the Ukraine Supplemental bill,’ Biden said in a statement on Monday.
‘However, I have been informed by Congressional leaders in both parties that such an addition would slow down action on the urgently needed Ukrainian aid — a view expressed strongly by several Congressional Republicans,’ he noted.
Senate Republicans wanted to tie to covid funding a vote that would keep Title 42, the public health order being used to turn away migrants at the Southern border, in effect. The CDC announced it will expire on May 23. States are also suing to stop the Trump-era order from being rescinded.
Some Democrats have expressed concern about rescinding Title 42 without a plan in place to combat the expected surge in migrants.
Republicans have made it clear they will not vote for covid funding without a Title 42 vote. Democrats need at least 10 Republicans to vote with to advance the legislation.
Some Senate Democrats said they were disappointed the covid aid would be considered separately.
‘It would have been so much better for us to protect the United States as well as worked to protect Ukraine,’ No. 2 Senate Democrat Dick Durbin told reporters.
Asked if separating Ukraine aid hurts prospects for covid aid, Durbin said, ‘It doesn’t help. Putting those two together would have been a positive.’
In his statement, Biden called on Congress to move quickly approve more covid funding.
‘Without timely COVID funding, more Americans will die needlessly,’ he said.
‘We will lose our place in line for America to order new COVID treatments and vaccines for the fall, including next-generation vaccines under development, and be unable to maintain our supply of COVID tests.’
The money would be used for booster shots, theraputics and testing.
The administration has warned the US could potentially see 100 million Covid-19 infections this fall and winter.
Officials told CNN this estimate is based on an underlying assumption of no additional resources or extra mitigation measures being taken, including new Covid-19 funding from Congress, or dramatic new variants.
Separately, Biden on Monday signed legislation that revives the ‘Lend-Lease Act,’ a World War Two-era program that helped defeat Hitler’s Germany by allowing Washington to lend or lease military equipment to U.S. allies more quickly.
In this case, it will help those affected by Russia’s invasion, such as Poland and other eastern European countries as well as Ukraine.
