High White Home finances official warns of ‘dire’ scenario on Ukraine support

President Joe Biden’s high finances official warned in stark phrases Friday concerning the quickly diminishing time that lawmakers need to replenish U.S. support for Ukraine, because the destiny of that cash to Kyiv stays tied up in negotiations over immigration the place a deal has to this point been out of attain.

Shalanda Younger, the director of the Workplace of Administration and Finances, careworn that there isn’t a avenue to assist Ukraine except for Congress approving extra funding to assist Kyiv because it fends off Russia in a conflict that’s now almost two years outdated. Whereas the Pentagon has some restricted authority to assist Kyiv absent new funding from Capitol Hill, “that is not going to get big tranches of equipment into Ukraine,” Younger stated Friday.

Whereas the administration nonetheless has presidential drawdown authority, which permits it to drag weapons from present U.S. stockpiles and ship them shortly to Ukraine, officers have determined to forgo that authority as a result of Congress has not authorized extra cash to primarily backfill that gear — a transfer that Younger stated was a “very tough decision.” The U.S. despatched a $250 million weapons bundle to Ukraine late final month, which officers say was possible the final bundle due to the dearth of funding.

Younger additionally detailed the impression {that a} lack of extra U.S. support would have on Ukraine except for its navy capabilities, corresponding to Kyiv with the ability to pay its civil servants to make sure that its authorities can proceed to operate amid Russia’s barrage.

“Yes, Kyiv might have a little time from other donors to make sure they can keep their war footing, keep the civil service, but what happens in the (European Union), in other NATO allies, if the U.S. pulls out their support?” Younger stated throughout a breakfast with journalists Friday hosted by the Christian Science Monitor. “I’m very concerned that it’s not just the United States’ resources that are necessary for Kyiv to stop Putin. It is: What message does that send to the rest of the world? And what will their decisions be if they see the United States not step up to the plate?”

Younger, a veteran congressional finances staffer, added that the scenario was “dire” and “certainly, we’ve bypassed my comfort level” within the time that has passed by since Congress greenlighted new funding for Ukraine. Biden requested a smaller tranche of latest support to Ukraine in September, however then went to Congress with a sweeping nationwide safety spending request in late October that included roughly $60 billion in new funding for Ukraine.

That ask from Biden additionally included about $14 billion in managing and caring for the excessive variety of migrants who proceed to reach on the southern border, and the president has stated he’s keen to barter with Republicans to just accept some coverage adjustments that might tighten asylum and different migration legal guidelines — a key demand of GOP lawmakers.

Complicating the dynamics additional is that Washington is confronting a pair of deadlines — the primary on Jan. 19, the second on Feb. 2 — to fund the federal authorities or danger a shutdown firstly of a presidential election yr. Key lawmakers have but to succeed in topline spending figures for every federal company, a essential step earlier than the broader payments funding the federal government may even be written.

Younger stated she shouldn’t be but pessimistic, however that “I’m not optimistic” on the prospects of averting a shutdown within the coming weeks due to sharp new warnings from Home Republicans, dozens of whom traveled to the border this week with Speaker Mike Johnson, that they have been keen to shutter the federal government in the event that they did not extract adequate concessions on border coverage from the White Home.

“The rhetoric this week has concerned me that that is the path that House Republicans are headed down, even though I will say I think leadership is working in good faith to prevent a shutdown,” Younger stated.

Requested whether or not the emergency spending request with Ukraine ought to go earlier than laws to fund the federal government, Younger added: “I’ll take it however they can pass it. I mean, beggars shouldn’t be choosing. And I’ll take it, how they can pass it. It just needs to be passed.”