The House voted on Saturday to pass a series of spending packages designating $95 billion in foreign aid to Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan.
A separate vote was taken on each aid proposal with $60 billion allocated for Ukraine, about $17 billion for Israel, $9 billion for humanitarian aid, and $8 billion to support Taiwan. Another bill that couldban TikTok if the company is not taken out of Chinese control was also passed.
House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) faced pushback from some Republicans in the House who wanted him to hold votes on foreign aid spending until more funding for border security measures was secured. After the votes, Johnson said that global threats from Russia, Iran, and China necessitated American leadership and support for the spending.
The Taiwan proposal passed 385-34 with support from 178 Republicans and 207 Democrats, and opposition from 34 Republicans. The Ukraine proposal passed 311-112 with 101 Republicans and 210 Democrats in support, and opposition from 112 Republicans. Israel aid passed 366-58 with support from 193 Republicans and 173 Democrats, and opposition from 21 Republicans and 37 Democrats.
The Ukraine aid includes $20.5 billion for European Command operations, $15.8 billion in security assistance, $13.4 billion for refilling U.S. weapons stockpiles, and $9.5 billion in forgivable economic loans, according to the Wall Street Journal. Israel will get $13 billion in defense aid and $3.6 billion in security assistance while over $2 billion for military financing and $5.6 billion for deterrence will be allocated for the Indo-Pacific.
President Joe Biden praised the passage of the foreign spending package shortly after the vote.
“Today, members of both parties in the House voted to advance our national security interests and send a clear message about the power of American leadership on the world stage,” he said. “At this critical inflection point, they came together to answer history’s call, passing urgently-needed national security legislation that I have fought for months to secure.”
Leaders from Israel and Ukraine also thanked the House for passing the bills.
Not everyone was happy with the votes, though, with some Republicans upset that Johnson did not force Democrats to make concessions on border security before putting the bills up for a vote.
“The House of Representatives and Speaker Mike Johnson don’t give a damn about the American people, our border, our jobs, our economy, or our national security,” Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene said. “Congress has already sent $113 BILLION to Ukraine. We shouldn’t send another penny.”
“This is the United States House of Representatives while our own border is wide open,” Rep. Barry Moore (R-AL) posted on X alongside a picture of Democrats waving Ukrainian flags during the vote. “Unbelievable.”
Each of the aid proposals alongside the TikTok measure will now be bundled as one and sent to the Senate.
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