I applaud the Senate's passage of the vital national-security supplemental, which will advance our core security interests and our bedrock values as we continue to stand firm with our Allies and partners around the world. This critical piece of bipartisan legislation will provide urgently needed military aid to help Ukraine defend itself against Putin's flagrant aggression; it will deliver additional security assistance to Israel after the October 7th Hamas terrorist assault, along with humanitarian aid for innocent Palestinian civilians in Gaza; and it will bolster our deterrence in the Indo-Pacific. The national-security bill will also provide additional resources for U.S. Central Command to support our forces facing attacks from Iranian-backed militias and protecting international commerce in the Red Sea from the Houthis' reckless and unlawful attacks.
This bill also strengthens our domestic industries and provides resources to create more good American jobs across the country, including $20 billion to buy new capabilities and gear to restock U.S. military inventories, $13.8 billion for the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative, and $3.3 billion to strengthen the U.S. submarine industrial base. As was the case for previous supplementals, the bulk of the supplemental would flow through our defense industrial base, supporting American jobs in dozens of states across our country and creating greater prosperity at home and greater security around the world.
The need for this supplemental may be most urgently felt in Ukraine. Top Ukrainian defense officials have already warned us that their units no longer have the stores of ammunition that they need to hold off Putin's invading forces.
I also call upon Congress to pass a full-year appropriation. Failure to fund the Defense Department in line with the annual defense bill would have serious consequences for America's security, economy, global standing, and democracy.
Only one country can provide the leadership that this moment demands—and that's the United States of America. The dangers of our time will only grow worse without strong and steady American leadership. If we do not deter other would-be aggressors, we will only invite more aggression, bloodshed, and chaos. So the cost of American leadership remains far lower than the cost of American abdication and retreat.
The world is watching, and lives are on the line. I urge the House to pass this bipartisan bill immediately to invest in America's national security.
