White House Seeks $56 Billion for Disaster Relief, Child Care and High-Speed Internet Access

Funding proposal includes $23 billion for disaster relief, $16 billion to support child care services, and $6 billion to extend subsidized internet access until 2024.

The $56 billion emergency spending request from the White House is intended to address various domestic priorities including disaster relief, child care centers, and high-speed internet for low-income families.
Included in the funding request is $23 billion for disaster relief, aimed at supporting disaster-struck communities across the U.S affected by wildfires, floods, hurricanes and tornadoes.
A sum of $16 billion is dedicated to child care, which is expected to keep numerous child care centers operational for another year and also boost wages for workers who experienced pay cuts during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The package also earmarks $6 billion to extend free and discounted internet through December 2024, a key initiative dubbed as the 'Affordable Connectivity Program' aimed at preventing tens of millions of Americans from losing high-speed internet access.
Other allocations in the funding request include international food aid, energy assistance for low-income households, and salaries for federal wildland firefighters.