Senate Passes $ 40 Billion on Ukraine Aid Bill, Awaiting Biden’s Signature –

The bill, passed Thursday with 86-11, was supported by all Democrats and a majority of Republicans. Although many issues were resolved in the party’s stalemate under President Joe Biden, a unilateral vote on Thursday showed that both sides were more united in sending to Ukraine the material it needed. More forces than Russian President Vladimir Putin.

“I commend Congress for sending a clear bipartisan message to the world that the people of the United States stand with the brave Ukrainian people and support their democracy and freedom,” Biden said in a written statement.

Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky thanked the United States. “This is a demonstration of strong leadership and a necessary contribution to the common defense of freedom,” he told the nation in an overnight video speech.

In a hiatus of less than six months under the control of Congress, all votes came from Republicans. The same thing happened last week with the House vote 368-57, which raised Democratic campaign-period warnings that the GOP’s nationalist wing was running. Former President Donald Trump and his isolator, America First Preferences.

Trump, who still owns the party, has accused Biden of wasting money in Ukraine, while mothers have no formula for a child, a crisis caused by supply chain problems where the government has little influence.

DNY’s Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer called it “beyond concern” that Republicans are opposed to helping Ukraine. “Republicans seem to be increasingly MAGA in the same Putin-like book that we saw former President Trump use,” Schumer said, using the trick again, the acronym for America that Democrats used to change extremist Republicans. .

Senate minority leader Mitch McConnell, RK, an ardent supporter of the event, warned his parliamentary counterparts that Russia’s victory would bring enemy forces closer to the borders of major European trade. partners. This will lead to increased U.S. defense spending and tempt China and other countries with territorial ambitions to test the U.S. decision, he said.

“The most expensive and painful thing America can do in the long run is to stop investing in sovereignty, stability and moderation before it’s too late,” McConnell said.

This came after Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said the U.S. sent an additional $ 100 million worth of Pentagon weapons and equipment to Kiev for $ 3.9 billion of U.S. supplies sent after the invasion began. . He and other administration officials warned that the mandate would expire on Thursday, but the new law would add more than $ 8 billion to the available amount.

In total, approximately $ 24 billion was spent on arming and equipping Ukrainian forces, funding the purchase of weapons, replacing American equipment sent to the theater, and paying for American troops assigned. in neighboring countries.

The combined amount of $ 54 billion exceeds what the United States spends annually in recent years on foreign military and economic aid and approaches Russia’s annual military budget.

“Help is coming, really important help. “Help will ensure victory for Ukrainians,” Sumer said, referring to a goal that seemed almost unimaginable when Russia first launched its brutal offensive.

If the war continues, it seems convincing, the U.S. may finally decide whether to spend more because of inflation, a huge federal deficit and a potential recession. Under these circumstances, getting bipartisan approval of any future assistance legislation could be more difficult, especially as November approaches and cooperation between the parties has come to a halt.

Several potential candidates for the presidency of Parliament in 2024 voted in favor of the proposal, including Senator Ted Cruz of Texas, Tom Cotton of Arkansas and Marco Rubio of Florida. Another – Josh Hale of Missouri – voted no. Ron Johnson of Wisconsin and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, who may have had the toughest contest this fall in the Senate election, supported the proposal.

Three Democratic senators did not vote. Maryland Chris Van Hollen has recovered from what he calls a minor stroke. Sherod Brown, of the Ohio office, said he woke up “feeling unwell,” took a preventive test at George Washington University Hospital, rested at home, and plans to return to the Capitol next week. Jackie Rosen of the Nevada office said she is studying for her son’s law degree.

Biden proposed in the $ 33 billion plan that lawmakers would boost defense and humanitarian spending. It had to reject a request for an additional $ 22.5 billion to support the government’s ongoing fight against the pandemic, a cost that many Republicans have opposed and engaged in a demanding political fight against immigration.

None of the Republicans who opposed the bill mentioned the debate on Thursday. After the move, Senator Rand Paul, R-Ky., Asked the 11 Conservatives who voted “no,” whether voters would support the bill if Congress asked them to pay for it.

“I wonder if Americans in our country would agree if the costs were shown, if they were asked to pay them,” Paul said. “We just borrowed. Congress said, “Put it in my account.”

Paul, who often opposes U.S. intervention and tends to bring bills to the brink of approval, used Senate methods to thwart Sumer and McConnell’s plans to pass aid to the United States. . Ukraine last week.