Pro-Ukraine lawmakers make last-ditch effort to safeguard US support

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: The Hill

11/21/24 3:37 PM ET


Pro-Ukraine lawmakers in both parties are working to get key provisions surrounding U.S. support for Kyiv passed into law by January, an effort to safeguard assistance that is under threat in a transition to a Trump administration and full GOP control of Congress.

If passed into law, the Stand With Ukraine Act would compel the president to request ongoing military and economic support for Ukraine in its defensive war against Russia. The bill’s goal is to help overcome increasing partisanship around the passage of supplemental aid packages.

The legislation is bipartisan and bicameral, sponsored in the House by Reps. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.), Joe Wilson (R-S.C.), Marcy Kaptur (D-Ohio) and Mike Quigley (D-Ill.). It’s sponsored by Sens. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) and Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) in the Senate. Some lawmakers are working to transform the bill’s provisions to amendments for the National Defense Authorization Act, a House aide told The Hill.

The NDAA is considered must-pass, end-of-year legislation that authorizes appropriations for the Pentagon and other defense-related activities. It’s not yet clear if lawmakers would seek to put most of the Stand with Ukraine Act provisions into one amendment or file a few separate amendments. Other supporters of the bill said it should be brought up for a standalone floor vote.

Read more: https://thehill.com/policy/international/5003033-stand-with-ukraine-act-effort-trump/

[HereForTheParty]

1. Can Congress pass a bill that requires the president to do something?

Seems odd.

[BumRushDaShow]

2. "Can Congress pass a bill that requires the president to do something?"

That's how the federal government works. The Legislative Branch (Congress) passes laws and the Executive Branch (President and the Departments/Agencies) carries them out.

[HereForTheParty]

3. Yeah, the legislature makes money available

and the executive branch administrates, or executes the aid being sent. So the language of this bill dictates how the executive branch does that? Did previous aid packages for Israel and Ukraine leave the president with more leeway?

[BumRushDaShow]

4. When the Legislative Branch gives their directives via the law

they normally provide the funding ( "appropriations" ) for the Executive Branch agencies, to carry out. When you look at the actual bill markups/language, they will designate funding to carry out certain specific functions associated with that law, but there will also be an annual "Budget" and "Appropriations" for the Executive Branch (which includes the administrative costs like salaries, facility and vehicle leases, etc).

Regarding aid packages, those may vary and will have specific language regarding "how much", "how/for what", and "by when". So in some cases, the "funding" might be for procurement of weapons that will then be transferred.

Here is the text for that last Supplemental Appropriations package that included aid for Ukraine and Israel if you want to scan through it -

H.R.815 - Making emergency supplemental appropriations for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2024, and for other purposes.

Here is an example section from that -

Procurement, Defense-Wide

For an additional amount for ``Procurement, Defense-Wide'',
$5,200,000,000, to remain available until September 30, 2026, to respond
to the situation in Israel and for related expenses: Provided, That of
the total amount provided under this heading in this division,
$4,000,000,000 shall be for the Secretary of Defense to provide to the
Government of Israel for the procurement of the Iron Dome and David's
Sling defense systems to counter short-range rocket threats: Provided
further, That of the total amount provided under this heading in this
division, $1,200,000,000 shall be for the Secretary of Defense to
provide to the Government of Israel for the procurement of the Iron Beam
defense system to counter short-range rocket threats: Provided further,
That funds in the preceding provisos
shall be transferred pursuant to an exchange of letters and are in
addition to funds provided pursuant to the U.S.-Israel Iron Dome
Procurement Agreement, as amended: Provided further, That nothing under
this heading in this division shall be construed to apply to amounts
made available in prior appropriations Acts for the procurement of the
Iron Dome and David's Sling defense systems or for the procurement of
the Iron Beam defense system: Provided further, That such amount is
designated by the Congress as being for an emergency requirement
pursuant to section 251(b)(2)(A)(i) of the Balanced Budget and Emergency
Deficit Control Act of 1985.

[HereForTheParty]

5. Great explanation, thanks!

nm