White House May Ask For $25B Emergency Funding For COVID-19, Monkeypox

The White House is seeking $44.5 billion in emergency funding from Congress for Covid-19 and monkeypox and back Ukraine, the Wall Street Journal reported citing administration officials.
The White House is asking about $22.4 billion for Covid-19 vaccines, trials, and testing; $3.9 billion to fight against monkeypox; and $4.5 billion to prepare for and recover from natural disasters.
The administration is also asking for $13.7 billion to continue supporting Ukraine.
Last month, the White House Covid-19 Response Coordinator said the Biden administration would stop buying COVID-19 vaccines and treatments as the U.S. plans to get out of the crisis phase.
Congress must vote on a spending bill by the end of September to avoid a partial government shutdown as the lawmakers expect to use a stopgap funding measure that will help maintain funding levels for the short term.
Spending bills require 60 votes, and in the 50-50 Senate, at least 10 Republicans would need to back any bill that contained the administration’s request.
In May, Congress passed a nearly $40 billion military and economic aid package to help Ukraine, and lawmakers expect further funding needs as the war continues.
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