Bennet, Bipartisan Colleagues Demand Secretary Hegseth Immediately Release Congressionally Approved Funding to Ukraine and Baltic Allies

 Pursuant to Senate Policy, petitions, opinion polls, and unsolicited mass electronic communications cannot be initiated by this office for the 60-day period immediately before the date of a primary or general election. Subscribers currently receiving electronic communications from this office who wish to unsubscribe may do so here . M About About Michael Legislation News Press Releases Social Media Newsletter Archive Services Priorities Top Issues Child Tax Credit Investing in Colorado Contact Map Español Acerca de Michael Escribe a Michael Prioridades Servicios Visitando D.C. Bennet, Bipartisan Colleagues Demand Secretary Hegseth Immediately Release Congressionally Approved Funding to Ukraine and Baltic Allies Denver — Colorado U.S. Senator Michael Bennet, a member of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, joined Senators Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), and Catherine Cortez-Masto (D-Nev.) on a bipartisan letter demanding that Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth immediately release stalled Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 funding for Ukraine […] May 28, 2026 | Press Releases Denver — Colorado U.S. Senator Michael Bennet, a member of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, joined Senators Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), and Catherine Cortez-Masto (D-Nev.) on a bipartisan letter demanding that Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth immediately release stalled Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 funding for Ukraine and the Baltic Security Initiative (BSI), a Department of Defense program to bolster the defense capabilities of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania. “We write to follow up on bipartisan concerns recently expressed in Congressional hearings about seemingly stalled disbursement of key Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 defense appropriations. Specifically, we urge you to obligate Congressionally appropriated FY26 funds in Public Law 119-75 for Ukraine and the Baltic Security Initiative (BSI) without any further delay,” wrote the senators . “Ukraine has persistently and bravely repelled a four-year Russian onslaught, but its military needs and deserves continued American support,” continued the senators. “The $400 million in security assistance for Ukraine that was included in the FY26 defense appropriations bill should be disbursed immediately.” “Congress has repeatedly supported strong assistance for the Baltic States. These front-line NATO allies have a powerful memory of living under the Soviet yoke […] They also are the targets of sustained Russian belligerence, threats, and sabotage. In fact, a Russian testing of NATO might very well start in the Baltics. As such, Congress appropriated $200 million in the FY26 defense appropriations bill for the BSI, which was codified in the FY26 National Defense Authorization Act (Public Law 119-60), funds we similarly expect to be released without delay,” wrote the senators. “Any further delays—particularly as the Department reportedly plans troubling U.S. troops withdrawals from the region—risks our ability to adequately deter Russia,” concluded the senators. Bennet has long fought to ensure continued U.S. support for Ukraine and our Baltic allies. He helped codify the BSI and enhance regional planning as part of the FY26 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which also included several provisions supporting Ukraine. Bennet also recently secured language in the Senate FY27 Intelligence Authorization Act bolstering intelligence-sharing with Ukraine. Additionally, earlier this year, Bennet joined Durbin and Grassley to introduce the Baltic Security Assessment Act , legislation requiring the Secretaries of State and Defense to report to Congress on emerging threats posed to the Baltic countries. The text of the letter is available HERE and below. Secretary Hegseth: We write to follow up on bipartisan concerns recently expressed in Congressional hearings about seemingly stalled disbursement of key Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 defense appropriations. Specifically, we urge you to obligate Congressionally appropriated FY26 funds in Public Law 119-75 for Ukraine and the Baltic Security Initiative (BSI) without any further delay. These two specific allocations have strong and broad bipartisan Congressional support. Ukraine has persistently and bravely repelled a four-year Russian onslaught, but its military needs and deserves continued American support. Maintaining Ukrainian capabilities and pressure are particularly timely as the Administration tries to negotiate an end to the war and amid increasing signs of a weakening Russian economy. Accordingly, the $400 million in security assistance for Ukraine that was included in the FY26 defense appropriations bill should be disbursed immediately. Similarly, Congress has repeatedly supported strong assistance for the Baltic States. These front-line NATO allies have a powerful memory of living under the Soviet yoke. They are consistently among