- US House approves $95 billion aid package for Taiwan, Israel, Ukraine
- Bill advances to Senate after bipartisan support; Senate vote expected
- Funding breakdown: $61B for Ukraine, $26B for Israel, $8B Asia-Pacific
Despite strong opposition from conservative Republicans, a $95 billion legislative package that provides security assistance to Taiwan, Israel, and Ukraine was enacted by the United States House of Representatives with broad bipartisan support.
The legislation advanced to the Senate, which is majority-Democratic, on Saturday. A comparable measure was approved by the Senate over two months ago.
US leaders, including Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell and Democratic President Joe Biden, had urged troubled Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson to put the issue to a vote.
Following next week’s Senate vote, the bill is anticipated to be sent to Biden for signature into law.
The proposed legislation allocates approximately $61 billion to address the Ukraine conflict, of which $23 billion is designated for restocking US weapons, facilities, and stocks; $26 billion is allocated to Israel, of which $9 billion is designated for humanitarian requirements; and $8 billion is allocated to the Asia-Pacific region, which includes Taiwan.
The Zelenskyy House is thanked
In expressing gratitude, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that US legislators helped keep “history on the right track” by assisting his nation following the Russian invasion.
Zelenskyy stated on X, “The vital US aid bill passed today by the House will prevent the war from escalating, aid in the strengthening of both of our nations, and save tens of thousands of lives.”
Meanwhile, Maria Zakharova, a spokesperson for the Russian Foreign Ministry, stated that the new US legislation would “exacerbate the global crisis.”
Zakharova stated via Telegram, “Military assistance to the [Kyiv] regime is a direct sponsorship of terrorist activities.”
The rate of depletion of the newly allocated military funding for Ukraine remained uncertain, potentially prompting congressional demands for additional measures.
Biden, who had been advocating for congressional approval of the supplementary assistance to Ukraine since last year, issued the following statement: “It arrives at a critical juncture, as Israel confronts unparalleled aggression from Iran and Ukraine endures persistent bombardment from Russia.”
The vote in favor of approving the funding for Ukraine was 311 to 11. Eleven2 Republicans voted against the legislation, while 101 Republicans supported it.
A significant number of Republicans voted against the bill in the House.
“The fact that 112 Republicans voted ‘no’ for various reasons is extremely noteworthy,” she said.
“While some argue that the European Union ought to increase its assistance to Ukraine, others contend that the funds ought to be spent domestically and that Ukraine has no responsibility for how they are spent.
This package was successfully approved; however, it raises concerns regarding potential future financial requirements for Ukraine,” further elaborated our correspondent.
House supports Israel
In contrast, the actions taken by the House of Representatives during an uncommon Saturday session exposed some ridges in Congress’s otherwise steadfast support for Israel.
The Israel aid bill was approved 366-58 on Saturday, with the support of 37 Democrats and 21 Republicans in opposition.
The Democrats who opposed the Israel measure were extremely vocal in their disapproval of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
“The quantity may not appear to be many… however, this is truly extraordinary. “A decade or two ago, it would have been inconceivable,” she stated. “I believe it signifies a significant Democratic Party shift.”
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US defense contractors eagerly awaited the long-awaited legislation’s ratification, as they might be awarded enormous contracts to provide equipment to Ukraine and other US allies.
This week, despite removal threats from uncompromising members of his fractious 218-213 majority, House Speaker Johnson decided to move forward with the measure that includes funding for Ukraine as it struggles to repel the Russian invasion after two years.
A measure comprising a threat to prohibit the Chinese-owned social media application TikTok and a potential transfer of seized Russian assets to Ukraine are also included in the unusual four-bill package.
Certain Republicans threatened on multiple occasions to remove Johnson, who was elected speaker in October following the ousting of his predecessor, Kevin McCarthy, by party hardliners.
