Staff Reports
A group of Republican House and Senate lawmakers have taken a stand against providing additional aid to Ukraine without receiving detailed information about the war effort. In a letter addressed to Shalanda Young, director of the White House Office of Management and Budget, the GOP lawmakers expressed their belief that the American people have the right to know how their tax dollars have been spent and whether progress is being made in the Ukrainian counteroffensive against Russian forces.
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The letter, spearheaded by Republican Sen. J.D. Vance of Ohio and Rep. Chip Roy of Texas, was signed by 23 House members and six senators. The lawmakers received the OMB’s request for additional supplemental appropriations on August 10th, and they have raised a number of important questions about the situation in Ukraine.
The White House has requested an additional $24 billion in security, economic, and humanitarian assistance related to the war in Ukraine, with $13 billion allocated for military aid. However, the GOP lawmakers are seeking answers before approving this new expenditure. They want to know if the Ukrainians are any closer to victory than they were six months ago, what the administration’s strategy and exit plan are, how the administration defines victory in Ukraine, and what assistance has already been provided to Ukraine under Title 10.
The lawmakers argue that it would be irresponsible to approve this request without the necessary information, and they oppose the additional expenditure until their questions are answered. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy personally urged House and Senate lawmakers to continue funding for his war-torn country, but his appeal is being met with skepticism from GOP lawmakers in both chambers.
The lawmakers have several concerns about providing more funds to Ukraine. They worry about spending billions of taxpayer dollars indefinitely and potentially funding both sides of the war effort. They also highlight that while $114 billion has been appropriated for Ukraine and “countries impacted by the situation in Ukraine” since Russia’s invasion in 2022, this figure does not reflect the full picture, including transferred and reprogrammed funds. The lawmakers are seeking more transparency from the administration to ensure that Congress can exercise its appropriations power wisely.
The Department of Defense’s recent accounting error of $6.2 billion related to Ukraine Presidential Drawdown Authorities further emphasizes the need for transparency. The GOP lawmakers point out that if an accounting mechanism can be altered or replaced to provide an additional $6 billion in defense articles or services to foreign governments out of an overall authority of $25 billion, Congress cannot accurately determine the value of articles it might transmit to a foreign entity.
The lawmakers also raise concerns about the disjuncture between the administration’s requested funding and the authorization figures from the Senate and House versions of the National Defense Authorization Act. They question the Biden administration’s plan and whether the Ukrainians are any closer to victory, expressing frustration with the open-ended statements and lack of clarity.
Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas highlights another issue: the Biden administration’s simultaneous funding of both sides of the war through aid to Ukraine and Iran. He argues that the administration’s priority seems to be an Iran nuclear deal rather than achieving victory in Ukraine.
Overall, the Republican lawmakers are demanding transparency, answers to their questions, and a clear plan for achieving victory in Ukraine before approving additional funding.
