A $95 billion package containing aid to Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan was passed by the Senate with a vote of 79 to 18, ultimately being sent to President Biden’s desk for approval. This package notably received more votes than a previous version that had passed the Senate in February but was never voted on in the House. The aid included in the package aims to support Ukraine in its war against Russia, provide assistance to Israel and humanitarian aid, and allocate funds for the Indo-Pacific and Taiwan. The measures also included requirements for TikTok to divest from Chinese-owned ByteDance and to allow $5 billion in Russian assets held in U.S. banks to be transferred to Ukraine.
President Biden had initially requested the supplemental foreign aid in October. The Senate’s passage of the package was made possible after a cloture motion was approved, with Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer celebrating the bipartisan vote as a significant achievement. Prior to the cloture vote, a close vote was held on a motion to table an amendment tree, with 48 in support and 50 against, allowing the amendment tree to stand. Some senators, including Sen. Bernie Sanders, sought to introduce amendments to the package, such as ending unconditional aid to Israel and restoring funding to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), but were unsuccessful in moving these amendments forward.
Republican lawmakers, including Sen. Mike Lee, also wanted to introduce amendments to the package, such as requiring repayment of the foreign aid loan to Ukraine. However, none of these proposed amendments were passed in the Senate, meaning the bill would be sent back to the House for further consideration. Despite the lack of amendments being passed, the package still contained significant aid for Ukraine, Israel, and other regions, with funding allocated for various purposes. The Senate vote marked the end of six months of work to secure the passage of the supplemental foreign aid package.
The package also received attention for its inclusion of measures related to TikTok and Russian assets, alongside aid to Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan. The Senate’s decision to pass the package with a significant majority of votes demonstrated bipartisan support for the aid being provided to various countries and regions. President Biden is expected to sign off on the additional foreign aid soon, following the Senate’s approval and the resolution of procedural hurdles. The passage of the package was seen as an important step in providing assistance to countries in need and addressing various international issues.
