A local lawmaker’s bill designed to cut through red tape and speed the delivery of weapons, munitions and other military equipment to Ukraine was signed into law Monday.
The Ukraine Democracy Defense Lend-Lease Act was introduced by U.S. Rep. Elissa Slotkin and passed by the House last month. It was signed into law today by President Biden after previously passing unanimously in the U.S. Senate.
The 8th District Democrat, who was present for the Oval Office signing, tweeted afterward that the bill was a bipartisan effort which was present during the ceremony.
“Rep. Spartz (R-Indiana) talked to the President about her family back in Ukraine, and we all praised the passion and creativity of the Ukrainians as they fight back again Putin,” she stated.
“Passing this bill with almost unanimous support in Congress proves that Republicans and Democrats can still work together to address the key security challenges of the moment. The country needs to see that, as does the world.”
Slotkin previously said the “overwhelming” passage of the bill (417-10) demonstrated the concept that when it comes to national security, politics should stop at the water’s edge.
“Republicans and Democrats came together to pass my bill that helps cut through red tape and streamline the process of delivering weapons, ammunition and other equipment to the Ukrainians,” said Slotkin. “During World War II, the U.S. sent billions of dollars worth of aid and military equipment abroad through the 1941 Lend Lease Act to help countries fight the Nazi regime – including trucks, tanks, and planes that were built in Michigan. The Ukrainian people deserve every tool they can get to fight back against Putin’s aggression, and this bill is a big step forward to achieving that goal.”
The signing follows Friday’s announcement that the Biden administration had approved a new weapons package for Ukraine worth $150 million, the latest installment in $3.8 billion of military assistance since Moscow invaded on February 24.
In a tweet after the signing, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he was “grateful” for the assistance and that the signing was, “a historic step. I am convinced that we will win together again. And we will defend democracy in Ukraine. And in Europe. Like 77 years ago.”
Slotkin, a former CIA officer and top Pentagon official, has led a suite of bipartisan legislation to address Putin’s war against Ukraine, including the DICTATOR Act to investigate whether China is helping Russia evade U.S. sanctions, as well as the American Energy for Europe Act, which would leverage American manufacturing to help wean our European allies off Russian energy resources.
The Ukraine Democracy Defense Lend-Lease Act, which was co-led in the House by U.S. Reps. Joe Wilson (R-SC), Liz Cheney (R-WY) and Steve Cohen (D-TN), will:
• Authorize the President to lend or lease military equipment to the Government of Ukraine to bolster its defensive capabilities for FY 2022 and 2023;
• Streamline the processes to provide defense equipment and material support to Ukraine; and
• Require the administration develop procedures to expedite the delivery of equipment to Ukraine to support its defenders
