Mitch McConnell, Ukraine aid does not rebuild our industrial base.
Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell: Majority of Ukrainian Aid Going Overseas
Senate Republican Minority Leader Mitch McConnell wants to reassure Ukrainian aid skeptics that billions in foreign assistance is being spent on American manufacturers to build weapons at home.
“If you look at the Ukraine assistance,” McConnell said on CBS, “a significant portion of what’s being spent in the United States and 38 different states, replacing the weapons that we send to Ukraine with more modern weapons, so we’re rebuilding our industrial base.”
But a closer examination of the aid for Ukraine reveals an overwhelming majority of taxpayer dollars are going overseas. Just a fraction of the $113 billion spent has gone to “rebuilding our industrial base.”
@LeaderMcConnell says “a significant portion” of Ukraine aid from Congress is being spent in states to make weapons.
“We’re rebuilding our industrial base. The Ukrainians are destroying the army of one of our biggest rivals. I have a hard time finding anything wrong with that.” pic.twitter.com/24janX3kbr
— Face The Nation (@FaceTheNation) October 22, 2023
According to the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, about $67 billion of the $113 billion in Ukrainian aid went to defense spending. Of that $67 billion, about $27 billion went to “drawdown replenishment,” and $15 billion went to the U.S. military. Another $18 billion went to the Ukraine security assistance initiative, nearly $5 billion went to the foreign military financing program, and $2 billion went to “other defense.”
Richard Stern is the director of the Grover M. Hermann Center for the Federal Budget at the Heritage Foundation. An August analysis from the conservative think tank found the total aid to Ukraine cost taxpayers $900 per household.
“All of the money that’s not military support,” Stern told The Federalist, “is just aid we gave them. A lot of that is just cash, and so none of that directly comes back to the U.S. in any kind of real life.”
Of the military spending, Stern explained, “None of it is money. All of its equipment. A lot of it is equipment that had already been produced, so that’s not supporting U.S. defense industries.”
Last week, President Joe Biden proposed another $61 billion in aid to Ukraine packaged with spending for Israel, the southern U.S. border, and global humanitarian assistance for a combined $100 billion.
[READ:[READ:Biden’s ‘Security’ Proposal Earmarks Four Times As Much For Ukraine’s Border As Our Own]
The proposal drew swift condemnation from Republicans on Capitol Hill, with Ohio Sen. J.D. Vance slamming the president for leveraging dead Israelis to extort more money for Ukraine.
“If he wants to sell the American people on $60 billion more to Ukraine, he shouldn’t use dead Israeli children to do it,” Vance said on Fox News.
House Republican Speaker Mike Johnson, who was elected to lead the lower chamber on Wednesday, said he supports more aid to Ukraine, but he believes lawmakers should break up the president’s proposal and vote on each bill separately.
“I told the staff at the White House today that our consensus among House Republicans is that we need to bifurcate those issues,” Johnson said on Fox News Thursday.
Tristan Justice is the western correspondent for The Federalist and the author of Social Justice Redux, a conservative newsletter on culture, health, and wellness. He has also written for The Washington Examiner and The Daily Signal. His work has also been featured in Real Clear Politics and Fox News. Tristan graduated from George Washington University where he majored in political science and minored in journalism. Follow him on Twitter at @JusticeTristan or contact him at [email protected]. Sign up for Tristan’s email newsletter here.
How much aid to Ukraine has been allocated for defense and military purposes, and how does this impact American taxpayers?
Title: Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell: Majority of Ukrainian Aid Going Overseas
Introduction
Senate Republican Minority Leader Mitch McConnell recently addressed concerns about the allocation of Ukrainian aid. McConnell emphasizes that a considerable portion of the aid is being spent in the United States, supporting American manufacturers in building weapons domestically. However, a closer examination reveals that the majority of taxpayer dollars allocated for Ukraine actually go overseas, with only a fraction dedicated to “rebuilding our industrial base.”
The Reality of Ukrainian Aid Allocation
Contrary to McConnell’s claims, a significant portion of the $113 billion in Ukrainian aid has been directed abroad. The Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget reports that nearly $67 billion of the total aid went into defense spending. Out of this amount, approximately $27 billion was allocated for “drawdown replenishment,” while $15 billion went to the U.S. military. Additionally, $18 billion was assigned to the Ukraine security assistance initiative, close to $5 billion to the foreign military financing program, and $2 billion to “other defense” purposes.
Analysis from the conservative think tank, the Grover M. Hermann Center for the Federal Budget at the Heritage Foundation, corroborates the notion that Ukrainian aid has a significant financial impact on American taxpayers. In their August analysis, it was revealed that the aid amounted to approximately $900 per household.
The Misconception of Aid Components
The director of the Grover M. Hermann Center for the Federal Budget, Richard Stern, clarifies how aid to Ukraine does not directly benefit the United States. Stern highlights that funds allocated, which are not part of military support, essentially translate into aid given to Ukraine, often in the form of cash. Consequently, these funds do not return to the U.S. in any tangible manner.
Furthermore, Stern emphasizes that military spending primarily consists of equipment, rather than monetary contributions. Much of this equipment has already been produced, implying that it does not directly support U.S. defense industries.
Ongoing Aid Proposals
President Joe Biden recently proposed an additional $61 billion in aid to Ukraine, which would be combined with spending for Israel, the southern U.S. border, and global humanitarian assistance, totalling $100 billion. This new aid proposal raises further questions about the allocation of resources and the potential impact on American taxpayers.
Conclusion
Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell’s assertion that the majority of Ukrainian aid is being spent on American manufacturers to bolster domestic weapon production is not accurate. An analysis of the aid reveals that the bulk of taxpayer dollars allocated to Ukraine are indeed going overseas. While the aid package does include funding for defense and military purposes, the money is primarily allocated for equipment and does not directly contribute to the support of U.S. defense industries. With ongoing proposals for substantial aid packages, it is essential to evaluate the allocation of resources and ensure transparency in the distribution of taxpayer funds.
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