Ukraine, Covid Aid at Stake as Spending Bill Talks Continue

If Congress doesn’t reach a deal, the government would partially shut down. In another alternative, lawmakers could pass a new short-term resolution to fund the government at fiscal 2021 levels, continuing with last year’s priorities. But that would hamstring the federal government, preventing it from hiring for and investing in new programs.

Some aides and lawmakers of both parties said that the chances of passing an omnibus spending measure this week had increased, in part because a fiscal 2022 measure would include financing for Ukraine and Eastern European allies and give the military flexibility for any related needs.

“It makes it more likely,” said Sen. Lindsey Graham (R., S.C.). “It would be political malpractice for us not to help our own military, help the Ukrainians and get a budget.”

The Biden administration’s request for $22.5 billion—less than the $30 billion that had originally been floated—to deal with the coronavirus pandemic has been one of the complicating factors. Some 35 Republicans, led by Sen. Mitt Romney (R., Utah), had said previously that they needed a full accounting of how the government has spent the more than $5 trillion already approved by Congress in several rounds of aid. Republicans have also pointed to some $105 billion remaining in a coronavirus relief fund at the end of January.

According to documents that the Health and Human Services Department shared with Congress and viewed by The Wall Street Journal, that fund has since been depleted. In the documents, the HHS says the federal government must secure more funding to make purchase agreements now if it is to have supplies of critical treatments in coming months.

Supplies of antivirals, vaccines for children, monoclonal antibodies, new booster shots, and testing capacity illustrate the need, HHS said.

For example, the country’s supply of oral antivirals, which is expected to expand in availability from April through July, is projected to run out in September if no new amounts are procured. HHS warned that additional supply needs to be ordered well in advance, with supply declining as other countries place orders. Without more money to lock in supply this spring, “there could be a shortfall in the fall, leaving the nation vulnerable,” it said.

Monoclonal antibodies will run out of stock in early May at current rates, HHS said. It also cited the need for money for a potential fourth booster shot and warned that if a variant emerges requiring a newly formulated vaccine, there would be a greater risk of being unable to secure the supply without money on hand. In the absence of additional money, HHS also projects risks of a supply shortage of vaccines for children before the fourth quarter.

HHS said that the U.S. could face shortages of testing and lab capacity unless it obtained money now to make purchase commitments that allow manufacturers to increase their production and labs to have capacity. The Biden administration wants to avoid a repeat of 2021, when Abbott Laboratories slashed production of its BinaxNow testing kits and laid off workers during a drop in cases and hospitalizations. That left the country with shortages when the Delta variant slammed the country with new cases. The testing piece of the plan alone would cost an estimated $2 billion.

When the Biden administration had earlier discussed a $30 billion package, Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy (D., Vt.) had thrown cold water on the idea of attaching the money to the omnibus. But he said on Thursday that “now we have a more realistic package” and that he would insist on moving Ukraine money and coronavirus money in tandem.

“We’re going to do it all together,” he said.

Write to Siobhan Hughes at [email protected]