In a bipartisan vote on Tuesday, the Senate passed a billion package to provide aid to Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan. The bill was approved with 79 votes in favor and 18 against, exceeding the number of votes received by a previous version of the package in February.
**Breakdown of the Aid**
- Ukraine: billion to support the country in its war against Russia.
- Israel: billion for defense and humanitarian aid.
- Taiwan: Nearly billion for the Indo-Pacific region, including Taiwan’s defense capabilities.
**Provisions and Cloture Vote**
The package also includes measures to:
- Require TikTok to divest from Chinese-owned ByteDance.
- Transfer billion in Russian assets held in U.S. banks to Ukraine.
Before the final vote, the Senate voted 81-19 in favor of invoking cloture, allowing for a quick passage of the bill.
**Response from Congressional Leaders**
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer celebrated the package’s approval, stating that it was “an important day for America and a very important day for freedom-loving countries around the world.”
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell remarked that the vote was “a resounding bipartisan vote” that demonstrated the work and dedication of Congress.
**Amendments and Criticism**
Several senators sought to table an amendment tree that would have blocked other amendments. The motion to table failed by a close vote of 48-50, leaving the amendment tree standing.
Senator Bernie Sanders expressed disappointment that his amendments, which would have ended unconditional aid to Israel and restored funding to UNRWA, were not considered. He criticized the vote as a “dark day for democracy.”
Republican Senator Mike Lee also advocated for votes on his amendments, including one that would have required Ukraine to repay its foreign aid loan.
If any amendments were passed in the Senate, the bill would have to be returned to the House for further consideration.
