In bill to keep government running, GOP opposing more COVID relief until audit of early spending

A massive Capitol Hill spending bill to keep the federal government fully operational past Friday and provide $10 billion in aid to Ukraine faces uncertainty as Republicans oppose the inclusion of a White House request for $22.5 billion in additional COVID-19 spending. 

Congressional negotiators reportedly worked over the weekend on the so-called "omnibus" spending bill, and the Democrat-controlled House no later than Tuesday plans to introduce its measure, which if passed would extend government funding through the end of September. The bill will include roughly $10 billion to help Ukraine, sources tell CNN.

Most spending bills originate in the House. The potential standoff over additional COVID relief is not expected to result in a government shutdown, but a stalemate over that issue could result in lawmakers having to pass another short-term stopgap funding measure.

CNN said Sunday a Democratic source says the COVID money will be included in the package – putting Republicans in a challenging situation of appearing not to support Ukraine, which is being invaded by Russia, if they reject the entire proposal.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi in a letter Sunday evening to fellow chamber Democrats highlighted the multi-billion-dollar Ukraine request from the administration. The California Democrat also said the House is pursuing legislation to "ban the import of Russian oil and energy products into the United States, according to Punchbowl News.

Republicans have objected to the request for additional COVID relief money, arguing the Biden administration should first account for how the federal government allocated the trillions in taxpayer dollars already approved to combat the pandemic, amid concerns about fraud and how that surge of money into the economy contributed to record inflation.

Thirty-six Senate Republicans including Minority Leader Mitch McConnell sent a letter to the White House making such a request after President Biden last week in his State of the Union address called for the additional spending.