May 10, 2022- 11:43 p.m.
Biden Signs Bill Reviving World War II-Era Lend-Lease Program to Ukraine
President Biden on Monday (May 9) signed a bill into law reviving the World War II-era lend-lease program for Ukraine, paving the way for an escalation in US military aid to Kyiv.
The Ukraine Democracy Defense Lend-Lease Act of 2022 allows Biden to send weapons to Ukraine free of charge while technically requiring payment at a later date.
Under the lend-lease act during World War II, the US sent billions of dollars in weapons to the Soviet Union, China, Britain, and other allies.
The legislation received massive bipartisan support in Congress, passing by voice vote in the Senate and by a vote of 417-10 in the House.
The bill waives “certain requirements related to the President’s authority to lend or lease defense articles if the defense articles are intended for Ukraine’s government or the governments of other Eastern European countries affected by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.”
