Ukraine aid delay sparked bipartisan scramble to keep millions from expiring
WASHINGTON - When the White House finally released $400 million in defense assistance it had withheld from Ukraine while pressuring its government to investigate President Donald Trump's political opponents, Republican and Democratic lawmakers had mere days to ensure millions of dollars for military equipment would not expire.
Even as the first stages of what became an impeachment inquiry got underway, key lawmakers in both parties raced over a frantic week last month to move the complex levers of the federal government's spending process to save the aid for Ukraine, according to interviews and official communications.
Bipartisan pressure from Congress and officials within the administration prompted the White House to lift its hold on the defense assistance on Sept. 11. With a mandated 15-day wait period, that left less than a week to secure the money before the legal authority
