Congress approves $95 billion assistance for Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan following lengthy stalling period
The decisive vote was 79-18. 15 Republicans pairing up with 3 Democrats demonstrated their support against the bill. 48 Democrats and 31 Republicans showed solidarity in favor of the bill.
The proposed legislation then awaits President Joe Biden's signature to turn it into law, with the President hinting to sign it on Wednesday. This win is a major accomplishment for President Biden, congressional Democrats, and Senate GOP leader, Mitch McConnell, who's advocated for supporting Ukraine despite growing opposition from the right wing within his party.
Seconds before the final approval, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer expressed his relief, "At last, at last, at last."
This package encompasses four separate bills from the House, which were voted upon individually in an uncommon Saturday session. It provides an estimated $61 billion in aid for Ukraine, $26 billion to address the Jerusalem-Gaza conflict, including $15 billion in direct Israeli military assistance, $9 billion for Gaza humanitarian relief, and $2.4 billion for regional US military operation support. The initial three bills in the package align similarly to the Senate's approval earlier this year, a position initially opposed by House Speaker Mike Johnson.
The final bill intensifies the sanctions aimed at Russian assets and includes legislation that may prohibit TikTok in the US. This directive gives Chinese parent company ByteDance almost a year to sell off TikTok, otherwise the application will become inaccessible from American app stores.
President Biden commended Senate's approval of the bill, "I'll sign this bill into law and deliver remarks to the American public as soon as it reaches my desk tomorrow. We can start sending aid to Ukraine this week. The need for this assistance is immediate: for Ukraine facing persistent missile attacks from Russia; for Israel amidst unprecedented attacks from Iran; for those affected by conflicts and natural disasters worldwide, such as in Gaza, Sudan, and Haiti; and for our partner-nations seeking security and stability in the Indo-Pacific."
Biden, who acknowledged the Legislators that supported the bill, "Thank you to Senator Schumer, Leader McConnell, and the bipartisan group of members who voted yes."
After the Republican-Democrat push for border security delays and subsequent negotiations in the Senate, House action was leveraged to tackle the challenge. However, Trump's opposition and the party's rejection of the final deal prompted its abandonment.
McConnell, vehemently supporting Ukraine, titled Tuesday's vote as "overdue" and an "accountability test," saying, "The reality is that American prosperity and security have been shaped over decades by American leadership. Our global interests come with our global responsibilities. Maintaining healthy alliances lightens the burden of these responsibilities."
Following the bill's passage, the Democratic leader, Schumer, celebrated his victory, "We got it done. I hope our GOP colleagues have learned that lesson, not to listen solely to the hard right, but to collaborate and get things done."
Eliminating Senator Bernie Sanders' proposed amendments, Schumer explained his reasoning, "We needed to get this bill passed as soon as possible."
Moreover, he also elaborated on the urgent inclusion of the TikTok-related bill, "Speaker Johnson included it in the big supplemental bill, and we had to get the supplemental bill passed right now."
Schumer also confirmed messaging Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelensky, post-vote."I left a message for President Zelensky tonight, telling him 'Okay, we got it done. Now go win this battle,'"
Although unsure on the longevity of Ukraine's funding, Schumer answered queries, "It's a comprehensive package."
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky expressed gratitude for the Senate's achievement, announcing, "I'm grateful to the United States Senate for supporting vital aid for Ukraine today."
He anticipated the aid would "strengthen Ukraine's defense and military capabilities in this conflict," adding that it supports America's role as a defender of democracy and the world's leader. Furthermore, Zelensky highlighted, "Ukraine's long-range capabilities, artillery, and air defense are essential in restoring just peace sooner."
This story and title have been updated with new developments.
CORRECTION: This article has been updated to clarify the breakdown of funds and their use in conflicts and aid.
We now credit CNN's Manu Raju and Kristin Wilson in this report.
Read also:
Source: edition.cnn.com
