President Joe Biden 's administration sent an urgent funding request to Congress for billions of dollars to pay for the resettlement...
President Joe Biden's administration sent an urgent funding request to Congress for billions of dollars to pay for the resettlement of Afghan refugees and to address natural disaster damage.
The White House asked for $6.4 billion to pay for relocation of tens of thousands of refugees as well as $24 billion in disaster relief - $14 billion in aid to respond to natural disasters that occurred before Hurricane Ida (such as the Western wildfires) and then $10 billion specifically for Hurricane Ida relief as well.
The request for more funding for Afghanistan refugees will likely spark political controversy given that some Democrats and many Republicans have criticized Biden handling of the evacuation.
President Joe Biden's administration asked for billions of dollars to pay for the resettlement of Afghan refugees and to address natural disaster damage - above, Biden huts a woman in New Jersey who was impacted by Hurricane Ida
A family evacuated from Kabul, Afghanistan, arrive at Washington Dulles International Airport
The White House estimates that 65,000 Afghans will arrive in the U.S. this month and another 30,000 in months ahead. Funding would go to the Defense, State, Homeland Security and Health and Human Services departments.
The money for the refugees would pay for transportation, government processing and public health screenings. Republicans have questioned whether the vetting process for refugees has been thorough enough.
Additionally, White House Office of Management and Budget Acting Director Shalanda Young called for Congress to approve a short-term extension to fund the government so that there isn't a shutdown on October 1.
Government funding runs out at the end of September.
'We are also calling on Congress to include additional funding in a CR to help address two other urgent needs: responding to recent and ongoing natural disasters, and meeting our commitments to our Afghan allies and partners,' Young said in a letter to lawmakers.
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