WaPo Opinion: Four national security measures that cannot wait until next year

 Timestamp: December 4, 2023 at 5:22 p.m. EST December 4, 2023 at 5:22 p.m. EST

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Washington Post

42 minutes ago

Opinion | Congress must pass NDAA, Ukraine aid, FISA and military promotions - The Washington Post

The House and Senate both plan to break for Christmas at the end of next week. But four urgent national security matters require congressional action before lawmakers can head home for the holidays.

Help Ukraine

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Office of Management and Budget Director Shalanda Young warned Monday that the U.S. government will be unable to provide any more resources or equipment to Ukraine if Congress fails to appropriate fresh funding by the end of the year. The Pentagon has used 97 percent of the $62.3 billion it received to help Ukraine.

Giving up on Ukraine would undermine the 22-month U.S. effort, embolden Russian President Vladimir Putin and erode Kyiv’s leverage in any future settlement talks. On the other hand, funding Ukraine as its soldiers — not U.S. troops — degrade the Russian army would weaken the Kremlin as a global menace and deter aggression elsewhere.

But President Biden’s request for a $106 billion package, including $61 billion for Ukraine and $14 billion for Israel, has stalled. House Republicans paired a stand-alone bill for Israel with Internal Revenue Service cuts that would cost more than they save, and that Democrats will not accept. Senate Republicans are holding out for major changes to immigration law. Democratic negotiators have made meaningful concessions to limit asylum claims and strengthen border security, but talks appear to be at an impasse over GOP desires to restrict the president’s ability to grant humanitarian parole. A compromise will require Senate Democrats to concede more than they’re comfortable with and House Republicans to drop their demands to defund the IRS. . .

Reauthorize a vital intelligence tool

Pass defense funding

Break the military promotions blockade

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