Media reports say that after weeks of setbacks and delays, the United States Senate gave final approval to a US$95 billion wartime aid package for Ukraine, Israel and other American allies early on Tuesday morning (February 13), sending the bill to the Republican-controlled House where its fate is uncertain.
The Guardian reports that in a pre-dawn vote, the Senate passed the measure 70 to 29, easily clearing the 60-vote threshold needed to pass most legislation in the chamber. Nearly all Democrats and 22 Republicans approved the bill, which exposed deep divisions within the GOP over America’s responsibility to its allies and its role on the world stage.
The measure reportedly includes US$60 billion in funding for Ukraine. Much of that money would go toward supporting Ukraine’s military operations and to replenishing the US supply of weapons and equipment that have been sent to the frontlines. Another US$14 billion would go to support Israel and US military operations in the region and more than US$8 billion would go to support US partners in the Indo-Pacific region, including Taiwan.
Meanwhile, the Voice of America (VOA) reports that House Speaker Mike Johnson said on February 12 that the priority is to “secure America's own border before sending additional foreign aid around the world" and that the current Senate bill is "silent on the most pressing issue facing our country.”
Some right-wing Republican lawmakers, many of them aligned with former U.S. President Donald Trump, reportedly have voiced increasing opposition to sending more aid to Ukraine for its fight against the Russian invasion, imperiling approval of the assistance even though most Democratic lawmakers are in favor.
VOA notes that U.S. defense officials voiced hope that House lawmakers will approve the supplemental aid package soon, noting that Ukraine's forces are “still in the fight of their life.”
“Make no mistake — our allies and our adversaries are watching,” said Pentagon deputy press secretary Sabrina Singh, briefing reporters on February 13.
