US Deploying Patriot Missiles in Ukraine Arms Swap

By Michael Rainey

A glorious spring Friday, though many lawmakers in Washington probably missed it since Congress has headed home for a two-week recess. The bright sunlight put a glossy shine on the outdoor celebration held by President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris for Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson, the first Black woman to be appointed to the Supreme Court. “It has taken 232 years and 115 prior appointments for a Black woman to be selected to serve on the Supreme Court of the United States,” Jackson said. “But we’ve made it. We’ve made it. All of us.”

Here's what else is going on (aside from an extra-inning victory by the Yankees over the Red Sox in the teams’ season opener).

US Sending Patriot Missile System to Slovakia in Ukraine Weapons Swap

President Biden said Friday that the U.S. is moving a Patriot missile battery to Slovakia to replace a Soviet-era S-300 anti-aircraft system that Slovakia is giving to Ukraine.

“I want to thank the Slovakian government for providing an S-300 air defense system to Ukraine, something President Zelenskyy has personally raised with me in our conversations,” Biden said in a statement, referring to the president of Ukraine, who has repeatedly asked Western nations to provide more military supplies, including anti-aircraft systems. “To enable this transfer and ensure the continued security of Slovakia, the United States will reposition a U.S. Patriot missile system to Slovakia.”

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said the U.S. would move the Patriot battery to Slovakia in a matter of days. The air defense system will be manned by a crew of roughly 100 U.S. service members. “Their deployment length has not yet been fixed, as we continue to consult with the Slovakian government about more permanent air defense solutions,” Austin said.

The White House provided no details about the costs involved in the repositioning. The most up-to-date Patriot system has an estimated price tag of $1 billion, about twice the estimated cost of the most advanced Russian system, the S-400.

Covid Vaccinations Have Saved 2.2 Million Lives in the US: Report

As the U.S. closes in on 1 million deaths from Covid-19, a new analysis finds that the death toll would have been far higher in the absence of vaccines.

A report from The Commonwealth Fund, a non-partisan health care foundation, estimates that 2.2 million deaths were averted in the U.S. between December 12, 2020, and March 31, 2022, due to the vaccination program. In addition, vaccines prevented about 17 million hospitalizations and 66 million infections, all while saving nearly $900 billion in health care costs.

The chart below shows the researchers’ estimate of how many deaths per 100,000 people would have occurred in the absence of vaccines. Deaths would have at more than 24,000 per day, far above the 4,300 per day that were actually recorded, the researchers said.

Calling for more preparation: The analysis underscores the importance of funding efforts to combat the pandemic, and the researchers called on lawmakers to remain vigilant and involved. “Redoubling efforts to increase vaccine uptake, especially among the elderly and other vulnerable groups, will be critical to avert outbreaks as pandemic restrictions are lifted,” they wrote. “With continued spread of the BA.2 subvariant, our findings point to the tremendous power of vaccination to reduce disease burden from COVID-19. This may be even more important if newer variants arise or population immunity ebbs. Without continued funding, the lifesaving impact of vaccinations are at risk.”

In a statement Friday, the Biden administration highlighted the report while taking some credit for the lives saved. “This is the result of the Biden Administration’s efforts to use every tool to make vaccinations easy and convenient for every American, Congress providing us the vital resources we needed, and the American people stepping up and doing their part,” White House COVID-⁠19 Response Coordinator Jeff Zients said.

Former President Donald Trump has also claimed credit for the vaccine effort, which began under his administration. But Trump’s record on the issue is mixed, with Covid deaths rising far higher in some Republican-leaning states due in large part to much higher levels of vaccine resistance among his supporters.

Looking forward, Zients reminded Americans that the virus is still a threat and repeated the administration’s call for more money to fund the ongoing federal response to the pandemic – funding that has been held up by political squabbles in Washington. “Unfortunately, Republicans in Congress are now holding up critical funding we need to make even more progress – to save even more lives,” he said. “Make no mistake: Inaction will leave our nation less prepared for any future surges and variants. It will mean fewer vaccines, treatments, and tests for the American people. ... We’ve worked too hard and come too far to leave ourselves and our economy vulnerable to an unpredictable virus. The virus is not waiting on Congress to negotiate. Congress must act with urgency.”

Deficit Hits $667 Billion in First Half of 2022 Fiscal Year

The federal budget deficit totaled $667 billion in the first six months of the current fiscal year, according to estimates released Friday by the Congressional Budget Office.

“That amount is roughly 40 percent of the shortfall recorded during the same period in 2021 ($1,706 billion),” CBO said. “Revenues were $418 billion (or 25 percent) higher and outlays were $622 billion (or 18 percent) lower than during the same period a year ago.”

The deficit last year was much larger due to spending associated with a variety of pandemic relief programs passed by Congress, most of which have come to an end.

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