Senate Votes To Proceed With Foreign Aid Bill Despite Objections From Critics of Israel, Ukraine Aid

The bipartisan national security and foreign aid bill will likely pass the Senate by the end of the week, though an unlikely alliance of senators is aiming to stall the legislation — if not kill it outright — before Senator Schumer can get it passed. The Senate began debating the legislation on Tuesday. When the Senate voted to open debate on the final bill, 80 were in favor while 19 senators voted against. A number of senators hoped to stop a rushed consideration of the bill by demanding an amendment process before further action, though that was rejected by a majority of senators. A conservative who is vehemently opposed to more aid for Ukraine, Senator Lee, and Senator Sanders, who wants to add amendments to the Israel aid portion of the bill in order to put conditions on when and how Prime Minister Netanyahu can use the aid, worked in tandem to force the amendment process. In a message posted on X on Sunday, Mr. Sanders said he would “do everything in my power to make sure the United States does not send more unconditional military aid to Netanyahu’s war machine and does not allow any more children to starve in Gaza.”Mr. Lee said he was “feelin’ the Bern” on Tuesday because he and the Vermonter at least agreed that the Senate should do its work and have an open amendment process. “We both believe it’s time to allow votes on amendments. We have very different reasons for this position, and disagree completely on which amendments should pass, but it’s time for all senators to agree that we should vote,” Mr. Lee said on X. The Senate ultimately rejected the senators’ push to have an amendment vote by a margin of 50 to 48. Despite the last-ditch effort, senators are on track to have a final vote on the bill by Thursday at the latest before sending the legislation — written by Speaker Johnson — to President Biden’s desk. Senators tell the Sun that it is likely to be approved in a broad bipartisan vote. “It’ll pass,” Senator Cornyn, who is running to replace Senator McConnell as GOP leader, tells the Sun. “The only question is when, exactly.”Senator Tillis, who previously told the Sun he would support the bipartisan legislation, told CNN on Tuesday that right-wing objections to the foreign aid bill are hurting the Republican “brand.” He specifically called out Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene for making his party appear unserious.“She is dragging our brand down,” he said. “I think she’s uninformed, she’s a total waste of time, and I’m embarrassed to have actually lived geographically in her district at one time before she was there.”The Senate previously wrote and passed its own bipartisan national security supplemental bill in February. In total, 70 senators voted in favor of that legislation, which included funds for Ukraine, Israel, and Free China, after a border deal negotiated by Senators Murphy and Lankford was rejected by GOP members. Mr. Johnson on April 17 unveiled his own foreign aid proposal, which looked almost identical to the Senate bill, though it included provisions meant to force the sale of the social media app TikTok and a bill that would allow for the seizure of Russian assets held in a security exchange in Europe. The bill also includes $10 billion for a waivable economic assistance loan for Ukraine, which President Trump had touted in a press conference with Mr. Johnson at Mar-a-Lago. The broad bipartisan vote in February did not include some of the fiercest allies of both Ukraine and Israel, though the new legislation has won some fans thanks, in part, to the Iranian attack on Israel that puts new urgency in the desire to get aid to the Jewish state. In a statement Tuesday, Senator Scott of South Carolina — who voted “no” on the February legislation — announced he would support Mr. Johnson’s bill. “This is an essential step in standing shoulder-to-shoulder with our ally Israel and providing meaningful action as they defend their people from Iran and its terrorist proxies,” the lawmaker said. “While far from perfect, I support this national security package because it will help keep Americans and our allies safe. The effort of Congress to support our allies should be applauded.”

Senate Votes To Proceed With Foreign Aid Bill Despite Objections From Critics of Israel, Ukraine Aid

Senate Votes To Proceed With Foreign Aid Bill Despite Objections From Critics of Israel, Ukraine Aid

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