Biden asks Congress for $56 billion for child care, disaster aid and other domestic issues

The supplemental request is the second major legislative package that the White House has sought within the last week, after the administration proposed nearly $106 billion in emergency aid primarily to support Israel and Ukraine. But it’s likely to face immediate political opposition from Republicans, who remain broadly skeptical of funding key elements of President Joe Biden’s domestic policy agenda.

The package includes $23.5 billion to bolster the government’s response to natural disasters in California, Florida and elsewhere across the country, renewing a request that the administration first made earlier this fall.

Another $16 billion is earmarked for the child care sector, amid warnings from lawmakers and advocates that the industry could suffer a wave of closures if pandemic-era subsidies are not replaced with new funding. The administration is also seeking $6 billion each to maintain initiatives that provide high-speed internet access and fortify the nation’s communications infrastructure. The package also includes several additional smaller priorities, such as nearly $1.6 billion to combat fentanyl and $220 million to prevent abrupt pay cuts for wildland firefighters.

The White House has argued that the funding is critical to avoiding disruptions to key elements of the economy, as well as continuing cleanup operations in areas devastated by wildfires and hurricanes over the last several months. The natural disaster funding would go toward specific disaster recovery efforts, like in Hawaii and Florida, as well as help replenish FEMA’s disaster relief fund and fund other repairs.

The package also represents an effort to demonstrate that Biden remains focused on major issues at home, even as much of his attention over the last few weeks has been pulled abroad by Israel’s war with Hamas and Ukraine’s ongoing defense against Russia.