The Senate successfully advanced a $95 billion foreign aid package on Tuesday by passing a motion to invoke cloture and end debate on the measures early. The upper chamber cleared the procedural hurdle by a vote of 81 to 19 after the House passed the bills on Saturday. Majority Leader Chuck Schumer promised to move quickly to get the package across the finish line.
The package includes aid for Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan, as well as a measure requiring TikTok to divest from Chinese-owned ByteDance and the REPO Act, which would allow $5 billion in Russian assets held in U.S. banks to be transferred to Ukraine.
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell called passage of the supplemental foreign aid bills 'overdue,' emphasizing the importance of not delaying aid to U.S. allies. President Biden first requested additional aid in October 2023.
The Senate initially passed a foreign aid package in February, but the House did not move quickly to bring the measure to a vote. When the House finally voted on aid, it was a different version, leading to the bills being sent back to the Senate for approval.
While some senators, like Mike Lee and Bernie Sanders, have expressed reservations about the package, opposition does not seem widespread enough to threaten its passage.
The Senate's advancement of the foreign aid package signals a significant step towards providing crucial assistance to key allies and addressing international challenges.
