US Senate passes $95 billion aid for Ukraine, Israel, Taiwan

President of US Joe Biden will sign a bill into law on Wednesday, that provides a national security package to deliver a long-delayed $95 billion emergency aid for Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan on April 24, 2024, with wide bipartisan support after both sides of Capitol Hill.

The package, which provides almost $61 billion in aid for Ukraine, over $26 billion for Israel, and more than $8 billion for the Indo-Pacific, unites four proposals that the House passed on separately during a rare Saturday session. The package that the Senate enacted earlier this year, which House Speaker Mike Johnson had first resisted bringing to the House floor, is quite identical to the previous three proposals. The bill’s $9.5 billion in economic assistance to Ukraine comes in the form of a loan that the president can fully forgive after the next election.

The vote in the end was 79–18. Along with three Democrats, fifteen Republicans voted against the measure. The bill was supported by 31 Republicans and 48 Democrats. The Senate passed the aid for besieged US allies on Tuesday night, clearing the way for resumed arms shipments to Kyiv within days.

The measure will now be signed into law by President Joe Biden, who has stated that he would do so on Wednesday. With its passing, the US president, House Democrats, and Senate GOP leader Mitch McConnell have achieved a major gain. McConnell has long advocated for aid to be sent to Ukraine, despite the growing opposition from his party’s extreme wing to Kyiv.

“Congress has passed my legislation to strengthen our national security and send a message to the world about the power of American leadership: we stand resolutely for democracy and freedom, and against tyranny and oppression,” the statement read.

The president also thanked Schumer, McConnell, and the bipartisan group of lawmakers who voted for the 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,” Biden said.

After Johnson defied conservative party members who were against aiding Ukraine and had threatened to remove him due to his handling of the situation, the House took up the measure. Ultimately, the House passed the Act with a wide bipartisan majority.

After House and Senate Republicans insisted on border security measures first, months of Senate deliberations on a border package linked to foreign aid resulted in the stalling of money for Israel and Ukraine.

The need is urgent, according to Biden: for Israel, which recently saw unprecedented attacks from Iran; for refugees and those affected by conflicts and natural disasters worldwide, such as in Gaza, Sudan, and Haiti; and for our partners looking for security and stability in the Indo-Pacific. Ukraine is under constant Russian bombardment.

Due to acute weapon shortages and an urgent need for more air defense systems, Ukraine’s combat forces face the risk of a Russian breakthrough more than two years after the invasion began.

Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell, who backed the assistance package said, “Better late than never. We don’t have to give up on Ukraine, and we’re not going to.”

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