White House to ask for $10 billion in public health funds by year end -report

(Reuters) – Officials from U.S. President Joe Biden’s administration are finalizing a request this week for about $10 billion in public health funds by the end of the year, The Washington Post reported on Monday.

This would be part of larger request in the lame-duck session of Congress that will include funding for Ukraine and disaster relief for hurricane damage in Florida, the article said.

The request includes $8.25 billion for COVID-response efforts, including a successor to Operation Warp Speed that some call “Project Covid Shield,” the Post reported.

It said officials also were debating seeking $2 billion for other health efforts, including about $1 billion for the global COVID response, as well as about $750,000 to combat diseases such as hepatitis C and monkeypox.

(Reporting by Juby Babu in Bengaluru; Editing by Bill Berkrot)