White House wants $56 billion from Congress for disaster relief, child care and high-speed Internet

By SEUNG MIN KIM
Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — The White House is asking lawmakers for nearly $56 billion in emergency spending for disaster relief, child care funding and broadband. The largest portion of the supplemental funding request, sent to Capitol Hill on Wednesday, includes more than $23 billion for disaster relief. The package also includes $16 billion to help child care centers operate for another year, as well as $6 billion to extend free and discounted internet through December 2024. Wednesday’s package is on top of the separate, nearly $106 billion request the Biden administration made last week for aid to Ukraine and Israel, as well as other national security priorities.