Senate Approves $95 Billion Aid Package for Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan
by Emmitt Barry, Worthy News Correspondent
(Worthy News) – In a late Tuesday vote, the Democrat-controlled Senate passed a $95.3 billion foreign aid package. The legislation provides $60.8 billion in military aid to Ukraine, $26.4 billion to Israel, and $8 billion to Taiwan.
The Senate approved the legislation with a 79-18 vote, receiving bipartisan support from Democrats and Republicans. The bill, requiring a minimum of 60 votes to pass, will now be sent to President Joe Biden, who has indicated he will sign it into law.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) said on X after the vote, “Tonight, America sends a message to the entire world: We will not turn our back on you.”
The House previously approved the package in a rare Saturday session, during which Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) faced the threat of losing his position after Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) filed a motion to vacate the chair last month. Johnson has garnered support from Democrats and former and potentially future President Donald Trump, especially after advancing the foreign aid package.
The White House released a statement after the bill was passed, indicating that it would be signed on Wednesday.
“The need is urgent: for Ukraine, facing unrelenting bombardment from Russia; for Israel, which just faced unprecedented attacks from Iran; for refugees and those impacted by conflicts and natural disasters around the world, including in Gaza, Sudan, and Haiti; and for our partners seeking security and stability in the Indo-Pacific,” according to a statement released from the White House.
“I want to thank Leader Schumer, Leader McConnell, and all of the bipartisan lawmakers in the Senate who voted for this bill. This critical legislation will make our nation and world more secure as we support our friends who are defending themselves against terrorists like Hamas and tyrants like Putin,” the statement concluded.
In mid-February, the Senate passed a $95 billion foreign aid bill supporting Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan with a 70-29 vote, gaining the backing of most Democrats and some Republicans. However, a bipartisan immigration deal initially attached to the bill was removed after being blocked by a coalition of Republican and Democrat senators. Consequently, the House declined to consider the Senate-approved legislation, with Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) and other Republicans insisting that measures to address the border crisis be included.
Over the weekend, the House approved its foreign aid package in segments. During this process, a sufficient number of lawmakers voted against a border security bill that was also up for consideration.
The bill also includes sanctions for fentanyl trafficking, among other issues, and compensates Ukraine using seized Russian assets. Additionally, the bill includes a provision requiring ByteDance, the Chinese parent company of TikTok, to divest from the app within a year or face a ban in the United States. TikTok is anticipated to challenge this legally, a step that could prolong the process.
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