House Passes Bipartisan Legislation to Protect America’s National Security, Support U.S. Allies, Surge Humanitarian Aid to Gaza

Washington, April 20, 2024

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, House Democratic Policy and Communications Committee (DPCC) Co-Chair Lori Trahan (MA-03) supported passage of a bipartisan legislative package to deliver desperately needed aid to United States allies in Ukraine, the Middle East, and the Indo-Pacific as well as surge lifesaving humanitarian assistance to innocent Palestinians in Gaza.

“This is an extremely dangerous moment. While innocent Palestinians are on the brink of famine, Russia is taking ground as Ukraine runs low on munitions, Iran and its proxies are launching attacks in the Middle East, and China is trying to extend its reach in the Indo-Pacific. Both our allies and our adversaries are looking to the United States to see how we will respond,” said Congresswoman Trahan. “This package is far from perfect – it certainly isn’t the bill I would have written – but it is a bipartisan compromise that makes clear the United States will not turn our backs on innocent civilians and our allies. We will always stand against authoritarianism and for freedom, and today we can do that without putting a single American boot on the ground in a foreign conflict.”

The national security package was broken up into four different phases:

• Ukraine: The bill provides $60.84 billion to support Ukraine’s defense against Russia’s ongoing invasion as well as provide assistance to regional partners. Of that funding, $23.2 billion will be used to replenish U.S. weapons, stocks, and facilities, and $11.3 billion will support U.S. military operations in the region.


• Middle East: The legislation allocates $26.38 billion to respond to the ongoing crisis in the Middle East, including more than $9 billion in humanitarian assistance for Palestinians in Gaza and $5.2 billion to replenish Israeli missile, drone, and rocket defense systems. Another $2.4 billion of that funding will support U.S. servicemembers stationed in the region.


• Indo-Pacific: This section includes $8.12 billion to support U.S. allies facing increased Chinese Communist Party aggression in the Indo-Pacific region, including Taiwan.


• Additional Priorities: The fourth section contains bipartisan provisions addressing a number of issues, including portions of the REPO Act to sell frozen Russian assets to support Ukraine’s defense and reconstruction, enforcing sanctions on Iran for violations of human rights and international law, sanctioning Hamas and other terrorist organizations, and increasing penalties for cartels and other crime organizations trafficking fentanyl.

The package now moves to the Senate where it will be considered as one piece of legislation.