Biden Signs $95 Aid Package After Senate Passage

President Joe Biden has signed a series of bills totaling $95 billion in aid to Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan.

The bills were signed after the Senate passed the same package last night. The aid package was passed by a vote of 79 to 18, with three senators not voting on it.

Here is a list of the “No” votes:

Barrasso (R-WY)
Blackburn (R-TN)
Braun (R-IN)
Budd (R-NC)
Cruz (R-TX)
Hagerty (R-TN)
Hawley (R-MO)
Johnston (R-WI)
Lee (R-UT)
Lummis (R-WY)
Marshall (R-KS)
Merkley (D-OR)
Rubio (R-FL)
Sanders (I-VT) – Caucuses with Democrats
Schmitt (R-MO)
Scott (R-FL)
Vance (R-OH)
Welch (D-VT)

These are the three Senators who did not vote on the measures:

Paul (R-KY)
Scott (R-SC)
Tuberville (R-AL)

All other Senators voted for the package.

After the Senate passed the package, Biden posted a statement of support on X and said he would sign the bill, stating,

“Tonight, a bipartisan majority in the Senate joined the House to answer history’s call at this critical inflection point. Congress has passed my legislation to strengthen our national security and send a message to the world about the power of American leadership: we stand resolutely for democracy and freedom, and against tyranny and oppression.

I will sign this bill into law tomorrow.”

Citation

Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) criticized the legislation after its passage in a series of posts on X, with one stating,

“As @RonPaul says, foreign aid often involves taking money from poor people in rich countries to give to rich people in poor countries.

I’m sure Americans will sleep better tonight knowing that a few rich people in Ukraine are about to get a lot richer.”

Citation

Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) said the bill didn’t do anything to curb the border crisis. He posted on X,

“Not only did the “foreign aid” bill that passed yesterday do nothing about the mass migration invasion of America, it provided over $3.5 billion to help bring migrants from the Middle East to America”

Citation

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer praised the package’s passage. Two months ago, the Senate attempted a similar package.

Schumer told the Associated Press after the bills passed,

“Very few things we have done have risen to this level of historic importance.”

Citation

The total amount of aid given to Ukraine prior to this aid package was approximately $75 billion. With the $60 billion from this aid package of approximately $60 billion, the total amount of aid for the Ukraine/Russia conflict is approximately $135 billion.

Ukranian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy took to X to express his gratitude for the aid, saying in full,

“Today’s American military aid package for Ukraine is vital.

I thank all Americans who work in defense enterprises and every state that manufactures weapons that are now really protecting democracy and our way of life. All of the current cooperation between Ukraine and the United States, as well as every sign of support for our protection, is strengthening both of our nations. They also strengthen all of our partners and the entire world, which wants to live by the rules rather than under conditions of violence and terror.

We will make every effort to compensate for the half-year spent in debates and doubts. We must turn everything the occupier has accomplished during this time, as well as everything Putin intends to do, against him. All of his frontline actions, strikes on our energy system and infrastructure, and terror against our cities and villages must unite us all—everyone in the world who truly values life—around the need to increase pressure on Russia.

It is critical that the agreements President Biden and I reached be fully implemented. Thank you, America!”

Citation

Russia said that the aid will not change the situation on the battlefield.

Russian spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters that,

“The Russian armed forces are improving their positions at the front… The money allocated and the weapons that will be supplied will not change this dynamic.”

Citation

The Russo-Ukranian conflict has been ongoing since 2014. Just over two years ago, Russia launched its largest attack against Ukraine and fighting is still largely taking place in Eastern Ukraine.