The Biden administration is requesting $22.5 billion from Congress for the COVID-19 response, setting up a tussle with Republican lawmakers who have resisted new funding.
In a letter to Congress dated Wednesday, the White House said the additional funds are crucial for efforts around vaccines, treatments, and testing. In addition, $5 billion of the funding will go towards the global COVID-19 response, including vaccinating other countries, which is key to helping stop new variants from arising.
“Without additional resources, we won’t be able to secure the treatments, vaccines, and tests Americans need in coming months and fight future variants,” wrote acting Office of Management and Budget Director Shalanda Young. “And critical COVID response efforts – such as free community testing sites and testing, treatment, and vaccination coverage for uninsured individuals – will end this spring.”
The White House is urging that the funding be included in a broader government funding bill that faces a March 11 deadline.
Republicans have pushed back on new COVID-19 funds, pointing to the billions already provided for the virus response.
Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah) on Wednesday led 35 other Republican senators, including Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (Ky.), in a letter telling the administration they want a “full accounting” of money already spent “before we would consider” new COVID-19 funds.
Young, though, said that “nearly all” of the previous funding has been used.
The administration had earlier informally briefed Congress on the need for $30 billion centered on domestic needs and $5 billion for the global virus response. But it appears that request was cut somewhat before the formal request was sent.
Young noted that the request is for immediate needs and she anticipates later asking for more money, which could also prove a challenge to get through Congress.
“I anticipate that additional funding will be needed to support the COVID-19 response,” she wrote.
The administration released a sweeping plan for the next phase of the virus fight on Wednesday, which needs funding to be implemented.
“While this funding request would allow us to initiate the actions outlined in the strategy, we will provide additional information about anticipated resource needs in the weeks ahead,” Young wrote.
The current funding request would provide support for key areas like next-generation vaccine development for new variants, building testing capacity, and purchasing additional supplies of antiviral pills.