$139 Million Vaccines Budget Line Item

Josh cites the $139 million allocation for vaccines as a centerpiece of his budget deal pitched to OMB aides in the Roosevelt Room. Max points to it when pressing Josh on removing the separate $12 million earmark for the First Lady's CDC immunization education, questioning redundancy in spending. The figure fuels sharp debate, with Josh defending its scale as sufficient cover for cuts elsewhere.

1 appearances

Purpose

Funds vaccine procurement within the federal budget.

Significance

Anchors Josh's transactional negotiation, highlighting tensions between broad crisis funding and targeted promises to the First Lady, while exposing rifts in loyalty among staff.

Appearances in the Narrative

When this object appears and how it's used

1 moments

S4E17 · Red Haven's On Fire

The $12 Million Trade — Pragmatism vs. Loyalty

The $139 million vaccines line item is referenced by Max to argue that immunization education was intended to be separately funded; it functions as contextual cover that Josh uses (or ignores) when justifying the cut. It stands as a larger budget figure that makes the $12M feel either redundant or essential, depending on viewpoint.

Before: Included in the budget materials presented for discussion as the larger vaccines allocation.

After: Remains in the submission; its presence becomes part of the justification/argument over whether the separate $12M is necessary.

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