NEWSFLASH: GOP-led House finally passes Ukraine aid
The House sends a package to the Senate for their approval… after months of bipartisan negotiations, urgent Ukrainian calls for help, and a deteriorating battlefield situation.
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After months of postponement in seemingly dead-end negotiations, the Republican-led House of Representatives has finally passed an aid package for Ukraine.
101 Republicans and 210 Democrats — 311 votes — joined together to support the package.
112 lawmakers, all Republicans, opposed it.
Lawmakers cheered and waved flags on the House floor as the vote’s passage was announced.
“Universal global material support combined with the heroism of the Ukrainian people — only these factors have been holding back Russia’s criminal war against Ukraine for two years now,” said a Ukrainian drone pilot who has fought on multiple points on the frontlines. “But, a delay… in the supply of weapons, shifts the scales in one direction and requires more effort on the other side. in this case - human lives.”
The bill promises $61 billion for Ukraine and is part of a larger $95.3 billion package that includes additional funding for Israel, Taiwan, and humanitarian aid for Gaza.
The aid package will now be sent to the Senate for consideration.
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With Republican opposition in the House presenting itself as the package’s biggest obstacle, its passage today signals that aid is likely to be approved by the American government.
The Senate had previously indicated its support for a similar aid package earlier this year, and President Biden has said that he would be willing to sign the House-led legislation.
The aid package comes during a pivotal time in Ukraine's struggle. Russia has been outgunning Ukraine for months, as ammunition shortages have left Ukrainian soldiers fighting with a serious disadvantage.
“Time is against us. and every day the enemy is only increasing its efforts, while the world's democracies are negotiating internally about what is happening,” the drone pilot told The Counteroffensive.
The House package aims to bolster Ukraine's defensive capabilities, improve economic stability, and provide humanitarian aid. The bill, late though it is, reflects a concerted effort by the U.S. to respond to urgent calls for assistance from the Ukrainian government and its allies.
More than a third of the money for Ukraine is dedicated to replenishing depleted U.S. military weapon and ammunition stocks. At the same time, $13.8 billion will be provided to Kyiv to procure U.S. weapons.
Significant funds are dedicated to rebuilding infrastructure destroyed in the conflict, vital medical supplies, and support for displaced families. Frozen and seized Russian assets are also up for grabs to help pay down reconstruction costs.
The latest aid package differs slightly from the Senate bill passed earlier this year after Speaker Johnson added a few stipulations to quell some of the louder voices in the GOP.
The bill includes $9 billion in forgivable economic loans for Kyiv – President Biden is authorized to cancel the loans, but Congress can override that with a majority vote. The bill also requires the White House to provide a detailed plan on what President Biden wants to achieve in Ukraine within 45 days of the bill's passing.
Speaker Johnson is facing dissent within his party ranks after bringing the legislation up for a vote. Though many Republicans support Ukraine aid, a substantial portion of House Republicans strongly oppose it – and a small number of critics have threatened to remove him from his position.
Despite that, the House Speaker said that the international community was watching America's next steps intently earlier this week.
"We have terrorists and tyrants and terrible leaders around the world like Putin and Xi and in Iran, and they're watching to see if America will stand up for its allies and our interests around the globe," he said.
I’m a Republican and I’m happy to see this. A lot of us see MTG and her ilk as idiots.
Finally the House GOP did what should have been done months ago! Slava Ukraini! 💙💛🇺🇦❤️🇺🇸