White House prepares to fight for Ukraine aid after shutdown averted

With minutes to spare, President Joe Biden signed a stopgap funding bill on Saturday to avert a shutdown and keep the government open for 45 days1. In doing so, he capped a chaotic 24 hours that riveted much of Washington but left one of the White House’s top priorities, aid for Ukraine, in serious jeopardy1. The stopgap funding bill did not include any new funding for Ukraine, which has been a key priority for the Biden administration1. Biden issued a statement saying that he fully expects Speaker McCarthy to keep his commitment to the people of Ukraine and secure passage of the support needed to help Ukraine at this critical moment1. Inside the administration, aides attempted to downplay the exclusion, stating that they expected McCarthy to bring a separate bill to the floor “shortly”1.

The exclusion of Ukraine aid from the stopgap funding bill has sparked controversy and concern among the public and politicians alike1234. White House officials have stated that McCarthy plans to bring Ukraine funding to a floor vote, but the future of the aid remains uncertain34. The incident highlights the importance of addressing government spending and the need to ensure that key priorities, such as aid for Ukraine, are not left in jeopardy.

Key facts:

• President Joe Biden signed a stopgap funding bill on Saturday to avert a shutdown and keep the government open for 45 days1.
• The stopgap funding bill did not include any new funding for Ukraine, which has been a key priority for the Biden administration1.
• Biden issued a statement saying that he fully expects Speaker McCarthy to keep his commitment to the people of Ukraine and secure passage of the support needed to help Ukraine at this critical moment1.
• White House officials have stated that McCarthy plans to bring Ukraine funding to a floor vote, but the future of the aid remains uncertain34.
• The exclusion of Ukraine aid from the stopgap funding bill has sparked controversy and concern among the public and politicians alike1234.