President Joe Biden on Wednesday has signed into law a foreign aid bill that delivers vital military support to Ukraine after months of deliberation and discussion.
The legislation, endorsed by the Senate on Tuesday with a $95 billion budget, allocates nearly $61 billion to Ukraine, $26 billion to Israel, and $8 billion to the Indo-Pacific region. Notably, it includes provisions that could lead to the potential ban of TikTok in the U.S. unless its Chinese parent company, ByteDance, sells it within nine months.
The bill passed with a vote of 79-18, despite opposition from 15 Republicans. However, nine Republicans who previously opposed the aid package changed their stance and voted in favor, underlining the complexity of the negotiations and political dynamics involved.
The signing marks the conclusion of intense negotiations, characterized by personal appeals from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and internal discord within the House Republican conference, which has strained House Speaker Mike Johnson’s leadership. Some conservative factions within Congress opposed further funding to Ukraine, viewing it as an unwinnable conflict.
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Biden, backed by top officials and CIA Director Bill Burns, had pushed for the aid bill, emphasizing its importance for Ukraine’s defense and the broader implications for democracy in Europe and beyond if Russia’s military advances were unchecked.
Earlier this year, Biden hinted at concessions on immigration issues to garner support for the aid bill. Republicans in Congress had demanded those concessions, but retreated from the issue after former President Donald Trump voiced his opposition, preferring not to give Biden a legislative victory on an issue he wished to campaign on.
The Senate vote saw bipartisan support, with 15 Republicans joining three Democrats against the bill, including Sen. Bernie Sanders, who cited concerns over U.S. funding for Israel’s actions in Gaza. Sanders emphasized his stance against further funding for what he termed as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s “war machine.”
The impact of the bill will be most immediate in Ukraine, where the military has faced challenges due to ammunition shortages and battlefield setbacks without U.S. assistance.
