The Biden administration reported that states benefited from billions of dollars allocated for arming Ukraine to gain more support from Republicans who voted against aiding Kyiv, Reuters reported.
Despite three of Pennsylvania’s eight Republican members of Congress voting against the funding, data revealed that the Keystone State has received $2.364 billion in spending and investment on weapons and ammunition production, which was more than any other state did.
In Texas, 18 of 25 Republican US representatives voted against aid for Ukraine. At the same time, the state received $1.45 billion to produce 155mm shells and other weapons. In Arizona, three of six Republican representatives voted against aid, with the state receiving $2.196 billion.
When Biden requested $106 billion in new funds for Ukraine, Israel, the Indo-Pacific and border control, he underlined on October 20 that weapons for Ukraine equalled jobs for Americans.
He noted that some of the money would go to US companies to replace equipment sent overseas and mentioned Patriot missile systems manufactured by Raytheon’s RTX (RTX.N) company in Arizona, as well as “artillery shells manufactured in 12 states across the country,” including Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Texas.
Pennsylvania and Arizona are key swing states crucial to Biden next year. In recent days, the administration has circulated maps to lawmakers on Capitol Hill demonstrating a state-by-state breakdown of $27 billion in investments and spending on “munitions and tactical vehicle procurements.”
A vocal bloc of Republicans opposed directing aid to Ukraine, arguing that taxpayer money should be spent at home, although most Republicans and Democrats in Congress still supported aid to the government of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Companies in four states – Arizona, Pennsylvania, Arkansas and Wisconsin – run manufacturing facilities that collectively receive contracts totalling more than $1 billion for their products assisting Ukraine. Another $18 billion in contracts are spread among manufacturing facilities located in more than two dozen other states.
In his first major piece of legislation as House Speaker, Mike Johnson introduced a bill related to Biden’s request for aid to Israel, separating it from Ukraine and other needs.
Johnson declared at a press conference before the November congressional recess:
Ukraine will come in short order. It will come next.
However, the House speaker had repeatedly voted against aid to Ukraine before taking his current position last month. House Democrats voted overwhelmingly in favour of Ukraine-related supplemental spending bills for 2022 and 2023.
