Biden signs budget bill with Ukraine aid but no virus cash

By ZEKE MILLER and JOSH BOAK
Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden on Tuesday signed a bill providing Ukraine with $13.6 billion in additional military and humanitarian aid as part of a $1.5 trillion measure funding the U.S. government for the year. But the White House is warning of dire consequences if Congress doesn’t also pass new funding to address the COVID-19 pandemic. The COVID spending was a casualty of negotiations over the larger government bill. The White House had asked for $22.5 billion for vaccines and treatment, but that was trimmed during talks to $15.6 billion and ultimately dropped altogether as rank-and-file Democrats rebelled against proposed cuts in state aid to pay for the new spending.