The US Senate approved a $95.3 billion aid package early Tuesday morning for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan, after months of difficult negotiations and amid growing political divisions in the Republican Party over the role of the United States in the international arena.
Lawmakers approved the package with 70 votes in favor and 29 against, exceeding the threshold of 60 votes needed. The bill now goes to the House of Representatives.
22 Republicans joined the majority of Democrats, voting in favor of the bill.
“It’s been years and maybe even decades since the Senate passed a bill that affects to such a large extent not only our national security, not only the security of our allies, but also the security of Western democracy,” said the leader. of the Democratic majority in the Senate, Chuck Schumer.
The Senate vote took place before dawn after eight hard-line Republicans, who oppose aid to Ukraine, gave a marathon speech overnight, delaying the vote for more than six hours. They argue that the United States should focus on its own problems, rather than sending more funds abroad.
But supporters of the bill say abandoning Ukraine would strengthen Russian President Vladimir Putin’s position and threaten US national security interests around the globe.
“With this bill, the Senate sends a message that American leadership will not back down, will not falter, will not fail,” said Senator Schumer, who worked closely with Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell on the legislation.
But despite approval in the Senate, the package faces a deeply uncertain future in the House of Representatives, where hard-line Republicans who support former President Donald Trump — his party’s front-runner for the presidential nomination and a critic of support for Ukraine – oppose the draft law.
Speaker Mike Johnson said Monday night that it could take weeks or months for Congress to send the legislation to President Joe Biden’s desk, and there’s a chance it won’t pass at all.
Democratic President Joe Biden has been asking Congress for months to fast-track new aid to Ukraine and US partners in the Indo-Pacific, including Taiwan. After the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, he also asked for approval of funding for the US ally, as well as for humanitarian aid to the Palestinians in Gaza./VOA
