The US Senate approved a $95.3 billion foreign aid bill for Ukraine and Israel in a vote early Tuesday, setting up a showdown with the House of Representatives. The bill includes billions of dollars to support Ukraine and security assistance for Israel, as well as humanitarian assistance for civilians in Gaza, the West Bank, and Ukraine, among other priorities.
The bill passed the Senate despite criticism from House President Mike Johnson and former President Donald Trump’s opposition to providing foreign aid without it being in the form of a loan. The Senate vote was 70-29 with 22 Republicans voting in favor, including Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell.
The bill includes $60 billion to support Ukraine in its fight against Russia, $14.1 billion in security assistance for Israel, $9.2 billion in humanitarian assistance, and $4.8 billion to support regional partners in the Indo-Pacific region, among other policy provisions.
After the Senate vote, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer expressed the belief that if President Johnson brings the bill to the House, it will pass with strong bipartisan support. However, Johnson criticized the bill for its lack of border provisions, suggesting that the Senate “should have gone back to the table to amend the current bill to include real border security provisions.”
The Senate advanced the bill amid opposition from Trump, who argued that the United States should not provide foreign aid unless it is through a loan and that he would encourage Russian aggression against any NATO member country that does not pay its fair share.
Despite the bill’s approval, Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky had vowed to lengthen the timeline in protest of the legislation. He indicated that he was willing to speak on the issue of the national debt and other issues, saying, “I love to talk. That’s one of my favorite things to do.”
The House took a key vote to advance the package just hours before the start of the Super Bowl, passing it by a total of 67 to 27. Overall, the bill addresses significant international aid and has now moved to the House of Representatives for further consideration.