Biden's request for funds met with resistance © Associated Press — Nam Y. Huh The Biden administration wants $30 billion to fight the next phase of COVID-19. But it might not be such an easy sell on Capitol Hill. The administration, in talks with lawmakers last week, outlined the need for the additional funds for areas such as vaccines, testing capacity and treatments, though it is not yet a formal request. Officials said previous funds to fight the virus have already been spent or allocated. White House press secretary Jen Psaki said the additional funds are needed “to ensure that we are well prepared to stay ahead of the virus” beyond the current omicron surge. The request is facing outright opposition from many congressional Republicans, and even some Democrats are not enthusiastic about the idea. The COVID-19 funding talks come as a broader government funding bill with a March 11 deadline could serve as a vehicle. But with the omicron surge on the decline and inflation growing, some lawmakers say it is time to move on. “Spending $30 billion more without proper oversight or a proper plan to end the public health emergency is not how we give Americans their freedom back,” said Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (Wash.), the top Republican on the House Energy and Commerce Committee. Plus a global request: Adding another wrinkle, the Biden administration on Friday requested $5 billion for the global COVID-19 response. The $5 billion is significantly less than the $17 billion for global COVID-19 response that advocates and a group of Democratic lawmakers had been pushing for in the coming spending package. Read more here. |
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