Senate passes $95 billion aid
Senate Passes $95 Billion Aid Package with Wide Bipartisan Support
The Senate passed a $95 billion aid package on Tuesday with significant bipartisan support after months of struggle to provide aid to Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan. The final vote was 79-18, with fifteen Republicans and three Democrats voting against the bill. Forty-eight Democrats and 31 Republicans voted in favor.
The legislation, which now goes to President Joe Biden for signing, will be signed Wednesday. Its passage marks a significant victory for President Biden, congressional Democrats, and Senate GOP leader Mitch McConnell, who advocated for aid to Ukraine despite opposition within his party.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer hailed the passage, saying, “finally, finally, finally.” He added, “Tonight, may Vladimir Putin regret the day he questioned American resolve.”
The package combines four bills passed separately by the House, providing nearly $61 billion in aid for Ukraine, over $26 billion for Israel, and more than $8 billion for the Indo-Pacific. It also includes increased sanctions on Russian assets and provisions that could lead to a ban on TikTok in the US.
Biden welcomed the Senate’s passage, saying, “I will sign this bill into law and address the American people as soon as it reaches my desk tomorrow so we can begin sending weapons and equipment to Ukraine this week.” He thanked Schumer, McConnell, and the bipartisan lawmakers who supported the bill.
The House took up the legislation after House Speaker Mike Johnson faced opposition from conservatives in his party. Despite this, the bill passed by a broad bipartisan margin.
The legislation underscores US support for Ukraine, according to President Volodymyr Zelensky. He expressed gratitude to the Senate for approving vital aid, stating that it would bolster Ukraine’s defense and military capabilities.
