Biden is considering draining America’s ALREADY depleted weapons and ammo stockpile to send more ammunition to Ukraine as Congress stalls on a multi-billion aid deal

• Sen. Jack Reed (D-RI) confirmed the idea was ‘on the table’ 
• The Pentagon has warned for months that they need to scale up weapons stockpiles as they supply Ukraine
• Additional funding for Ukraine remains stalled in Congress

President Joe Biden may take weapons from America’s dwindling arms stockpile to send them to Ukraine, even though Congress is stalling additional funding to replace them, according to reports. 

The Pentagon has not made a final decision, but officials are considering the move as way to keep backing Ukraine despite the potential political pitfalls for the Biden administration.

Depleting American stockpiles in order to support Ukraine would anger many Republicans who believe Biden has to prioritize the defense of the United States first. 

The flow of military aid to Kyiv and the use of as many as 3,000 155mm Howitzer shells a day has steadily emptied U.S. reserves, which at its height in 2005 was worth $1.5 billion.

The military uses around 150,000 rounds a year for training and is working to increase production from 20,000 shells a month to 75,000 a year. 

The Pentagon asked for $1.5 billion last year to increase manufacturing and asked for $30million in the budget to ‘sure up’ its arsenal.

Sen. Jack Reed, D-R.I., who serves at chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, told the New York Times that the idea was ‘on the table.

The Defense Department has around $4 billion authorized to send Ukraine from its own stockpiles, according to CNN, but that the Pentagon remains reluctant to use them without reassurance that they will get replaced. 

In April 2022, U.S. stocks of Javelin anti-tank missiles and Stinger anti-aircraft missiles had been depleted by a third, leaving the Pentagon scrambling to replenish them.

The Pentagon already warned in September that the replenishment of U.S. stockpiles was slowing due to reluctance from House Republicans to pass more aid for Ukraine. 

Earlier this month, Marine Corps Lt. Gen. Karsten Heckl raised concerns of the armed service’s ability to replenish stockpiles while assisting Ukraine. 

The Senate passed a $95 billion foreign aid package earlier this month which includes $60 billion for Ukraine.

But Republican Speaker Mike Johnson remains reluctant to bring it to the floor, citing the need for President Biden to confront the crisis on the southern border first. 

Biden continues to reassure Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky that the United States will ultimately provide him the aid and munitions that he needs to defend his country from Russia. 

‘I’m going to fight until we get them the ammunition they need and the capacity they need to defend themselves,’ Biden said during a White House speech last week.