The Democratic-led US Senate moved in direction of the ultimate passage of a $95.34 billion support package deal for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan on Monday (12 February), amid rising doubts concerning the laws’s destiny within the Republican-controlled Home of Representatives.
The lawmakers voted 66-33 to exceed a 60-vote margin and sweep apart the final procedural hurdle earlier than last consideration of the invoice. Senate leaders had anticipated a vote on passage someday on Wednesday.
However on Monday evening, hardline Republicans against additional US support for Ukraine took to the Senate flooring for a marathon of speeches that aides mentioned would possible exhaust their debate time early Tuesday morning and permit Senate Majority Chief Chuck Schumer to maneuver to passage later within the day.
Each homes of Congress should approve the laws earlier than Democratic President Joe Biden can signal it into regulation.
However the invoice may face lengthy odds within the Home, the place Speaker Mike Johnson mentioned his Republican majority wished conservative provisions to deal with a record-level move of migrants throughout the US-Mexico border.
“Within the absence of getting acquired any single border coverage change from the Senate, the Home must proceed to work its personal will on these vital issues,” Johnson mentioned in a press release issued simply earlier than the Senate started voting on Monday.
“America deserves higher than the Senate’s establishment,” mentioned Johnson, who has prompt prior to now that the Home may cut up the laws into separate payments.
Senator John Thune, the chamber’s No. 2 Republican, mentioned it was not clear what Johnson would do.
“The Home, I assume, goes to maneuver on one thing. Clearly, they’re going to deal with Israel,” Thune mentioned.
Senator Ron Johnson, a hardliner against the laws, supplied a extra grim outlook, based mostly on what he described solely as educated sources.
“They’re saying this goes nowhere within the Home,” Johnson instructed reporters.
The laws consists of $61 billion for Ukraine, $14 billion for Israel in its conflict in opposition to Hamas and $4.83 billion to help companions within the Indo-Pacific, together with Taiwan, and deter aggression by China.
It could additionally present $9.15 billion in humanitarian help to civilians in Gaza and the West Financial institution, Ukraine and different battle zones across the globe.
Republicans had demanded for months that the international support invoice embrace border restrictions. However a bipartisan border deal, negotiated over the course of months, ran afoul of most Senate Republicans after Donald Trump, the celebration’s main White Home candidate, rejected the settlement.
Schumer stripped the border safety language from the invoice final week.
Trump, who hopes to make use of the border concern to unseat Biden within the November election, has since mentioned that support to US allies ought to as an alternative take the type of loans.
Biden has been urging Congress to rush new support to Ukraine and US companions within the Indo-Pacific, together with Taiwan, for months. After Hamas’ 7 October assault on Israel, he additionally requested funds for the US ally, together with humanitarian support for Palestinians in Gaza.
Ukrainian officers have warned of weapons shortages at a time when Russia is urgent forward with renewed assaults.
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