The Senate is expected to pass a $95 billion national security supplement package to aid Ukraine, Israel and the Indo-Pacific after a messy process that ended early Tuesday morning.
The supplemental package does not include any border security provisions, and several Republican senators took the time early over the weekend to collectively filibuster the package on the Senate floor. Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) pledged to filibuster the bill for four hours Saturday, continuing into the early hours of Tuesday morning.
The aid package includes $60 billion for Ukraine, $14 billion for Israel, $9 billion in humanitarian aid for Gaza, and nearly $5 billion for the Indo-Pacific. Democrats brought the bill to a vote last Wednesday after Republicans blocked a $118 billion bill that included numerous border and immigration provisions negotiated by a bipartisan group of senators and Biden administration officials.
The United States has already spent more than $100 billion in aid to Ukraine since the war against Russia began in February 2022.
Republicans are trying to include tough border security legislation in foreign aid package
U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (left), Democrat of New York. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) poses for a photo before meeting with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., ahead of the meeting on July 27, 2023. (Saul Loeb)
Several Republican senators voted against the bill and spent the past few days filibustering the bill.
“This bill is a disservice to American taxpayers,” Paul said on the floor before the final vote. “This bill gives direction to all of America. This bill goes to Ukraine first and America last.”
By Monday, several Republican senators were hoping for a breakthrough to pass an amendment that includes tough provisions, mostly related to border security.
Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) has introduced an amendment similar to the House immigration bill, HR2, which would restore most of the Trump administration-era restrictions, hire additional Border Patrol agents and strengthen asylum screening.
Senate Republicans prepare for long battle over Ukraine and aid to Israel
Senator Rand Paul speaks during a coronavirus response hearing at the Capitol on June 16, 2022 in Washington, DC. (Joe Radle)
Republican Sens. Roger Marshall, J.D. Vance and Josh Hawley were just a few senators to voice their opposition to the bill on Monday and maintain a filibuster. Meanwhile, Republican Sens. Mitt Romney and Thom Tillis are just a few urging their colleagues to pass the bill without further “delay.”
On Wednesday, Democrats brought the bill to a vote after Republicans blocked the $118 billion bill, which includes numerous border and immigration provisions. Republicans previously said they would not approve funding for Ukraine unless it first secured its controlled southern border.
The border foreign aid package was announced over the weekend, dealing a blow to conservative Republican opponents who say the package normalizes historic levels of illegal immigration and continues catch-and-release. Conservatives joined with some liberal Democrats to kill the bill, and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer prepared to vote on a no-border package as a preliminary measure.
Pentagon finally runs out of funding for Ukraine, asks 50 allies to continue supporting Kiev
US President Joe Biden welcomes Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy on the South Lawn of the White House on December 21, 2022 in Washington, US.Reuters/Kevin Lamarque (Reuters/Kevin Lamarque)
Republican minority leader Mitch McConnell supported the funding for Ukraine, but drew criticism from members of his own party who urged lawmakers not to let foreign aid pass through without securing the border.
“I know it’s very popular in some circles to ignore the global interests we have as a world power and to bemoan the responsibilities of world leadership,” McConnell said at Sunday’s Super Bowl. “There is,” he said. “Lamenting responsibility for supporting great power conflict, the longest drought in human history, is a waste of time for lazy minds and has no place in the United States Senate.”
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Schumer said Monday that the policy is a “down payment on the survival of Western democracies and the survival of American values.”
White House called for an additional funding package in October, but it was held up by Republicans who called for additional measures such as expanding asylum limits and limiting inland releases to resolve the record border crisis. Negotiators worked for months and finally released the document on Sunday.
In addition to the foreign aid package, the failed border package includes “emergency border authorities” that would mandate Title 42-style immigrant expulsions if immigration levels exceed 5,000 people per day on a seven-day rolling average. It was.
