Image Credits - Euromaidan Press
The U.S. Senate has passed a much-anticipated $95 billion aid package for Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan after overcoming months of political disagreements. The package allocates $60 billion for Ukraine, $14 billion for Israel’s conflict with Hamas, and $10 billion for humanitarian assistance in conflict zones, including Gaza.
While Democrats supported the bill, there was division among Republicans, who had previously rejected it.For months, President Joe Biden has been urging Congress to swiftly approve new assistance for Ukraine and U.S. allies in the Indo-Pacific, notably Taiwan. Following Hamas’s attack on Israel on October 7, the president also sought funding for Israel, a key U.S. ally, as well as humanitarian aid for Palestinians in Gaza.
While Democrats supported the bill, there was division among Republicans, who had previously rejected it.For months, President Joe Biden has been urging Congress to swiftly approve new assistance for Ukraine and U.S. allies in the Indo-Pacific, notably Taiwan. Following Hamas’s attack on Israel on October 7, the president also sought funding for Israel, a key U.S. ally, as well as humanitarian aid for Palestinians in Gaza.
The legislation will now advance to the House of Representatives, which is controlled by Republicans, where its prospects are uncertain. Despite objections from Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson and former President Donald Trump, the bill was approved by the Senate. Notably, 22 Republicans, including Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, voted in favour of the measure.
Ukraine’s president expressed gratitude to senators for passing the aid package. The Senate vote followed a lengthy session where several Republicans criticized the measure. This aid package is a scaled-down version of a $118 billion package that Senate Republicans rejected the previous week. Initially, Republicans insisted on linking foreign aid to increased security measures at the southern border.
However, divisions emerged among Republicans after former President Trump opposed the measure. Some lawmakers proposed reintroducing border security measures into the current legislation. Mr. Johnson indicated that the new bill might face challenges passing the House without such provisions.
For months, Republicans have insisted that the foreign aid bill include provisions for border restrictions. A bipartisan agreement on border security, negotiated over several months, was largely rejected by Senate Republicans after it was opposed by Donald Trump, the leading presidential candidate for the party.
Last week, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer removed the border security language from the bill. Trump, aiming to leverage the border issue in the upcoming November election, has shifted his criticism to the foreign aid bill, suggesting on social media that aid to U.S. allies should be provided in the form of loans instead. The aid package for Ukraine faces significant challenges in the House, where Trump’s influence holds more sway among Republicans, who maintain a narrow majority in the chamber.
