United States: The United States Senate will strive to pass on Monday a $95.34 billion package containing aid for Ukraine and Israel, which contains $45.0 billion for Ukraine and Israel and $50.34 billion for the US Army during the first partial government shutdown, which follows the months of delays, even though it has no guarantee that the House of Representatives will vote for the measure.
Senate’s Boost to the Aid Package
On Sunday, the bill got a boost when the Senate voted for it 67-27 and moved it up in the procedural process. Also, over the weekend, majority leader Chuck Schumer, in addition, on the weekend, mapped course for the Wednesday passage, as reported by Reuters.
On Monday, the Senate is reportedly supposed to vote on the procedural issue that, in case it wins, will help the bill go ahead.
Urgency Stressed by Senate Leadership
Having kept senators working during rare back-to-back Saturday and Sunday sessions, Schumer wrapped up the night by saying, “Our friends abroad are watching closely how we vote in the upcoming days. Ukrainian fighters are watching, and you can be sure (Russian President) Vladimir Putin is watching the Senate, too.”
Biden’s Push for Expedited Funding
Democratic President Joe Biden has been pushing Congress to expedite fresh funding to Ukraine since late August. In addition, Netanyahu asked for funding for the US ally and humanitarian relief for the Palestinians in Gaza in the wake of Hamas’ attack on Israel on October 7.
As Russia continues to press forward with new attacks, Ukrainian officials have issued a warning about a shortage of armaments, and Congress has been haltingly sluggish to respond to Biden’s appeal.
“There’s no good reason to delay the security and humanitarian assistance… any longer,” Senate Foreign Committee member Brian Schatz, a Democrat, said during Sunday’s debate of the bill, as reported by Reuters.
“Ukraine is running dangerously low on munitions on the eve of the second anniversary of Putin’s invasion,” added Schatz. “Millions of innocent Palestinians in Gaza are suffering daily without access to basic necessities.”
Opposition and Amendments
The current bill debated in the Senate has opposition from some Republicans who are also in the House of Representatives calling for the United States to stop aiding Ukraine. While they are demanding the border between the US and Mexico in the south, be hardened to deter an unusually high number of undocumented immigrants.
However, last week, after the request of former President Donald Trump, most Senate Republicans voted against a bipartisan border security bill, which was developed over four months. It was viewed as the greatest border security and immigration reform measure in at least a decade.
In the wake of last week’s action, Schumer took out the border security language from the legislation, and he moved on to advance a bill aiding Ukraine, Israel, and Gaza, as well as Taiwan.
In a Senate speech, Republican Senator Lindsey Graham demanded that the bill be rewritten to incorporate some of Trump’s preferences.
Graham stated that only “lethal aid,” not humanitarian aid, should be included in the package and that a portion of the US aid should be turned into loans. He also demanded provisions for US border security even though his party has not yet released any changes pertaining to borders.