Senate Clears Hurdle to Passing Aid Package for Ukraine, Israel, and Other Allies

The United States Senate took a significant step towards passing a $95.3 billion foreign aid package on Super Bowl Sunday, February 11, 2024. The package, which includes military and humanitarian assistance for Ukraine, Israel, and other U.S. allies, cleared a key procedural hurdle with a 67-27 test vote. This vote came as former President Trump, who is currently the front-runner for the Republican nomination, continued his efforts to kill the assistance and escalated his attacks on the NATO military alliance.

The aid package, which is crucial to pushing back against Russian President Vladimir Putin and maintaining America’s global standing, would provide $60 billion for Ukraine, mostly to purchase U.S.-made defense equipment, including munitions and air defense systems. It would also include $8 billion for the government in Kyiv and other assistance. Additionally, the package would provide $14 billion for Israel’s war with Hamas, $8 billion for Taiwan and partners in the Indo-Pacific to counter China, and $9.2 billion in humanitarian assistance for Gaza.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Republican leader Mitch McConnell argued that the money was crucial to America’s interests and warned about the consequences of abandoning longtime U.S. allies in Europe. McConnell stated that “American leadership matters, and it is in question.” Schumer added that Putin is “all too likely to succeed” if America doesn’t assist Ukraine.

Despite the bipartisan support for the aid package, former President Trump has been trying to kill it and has escalated his attacks on the NATO military alliance. In a campaign rally in South Carolina the day before the vote, Trump said that Russia should be able to do “whatever the hell they want” to NATO members who do not meet their defense spending targets.

The Senate’s vote on the aid package came after an attempt to pair it with legislation to stem migration at the U.S. border collapsed due to objections from Republicans adamantly opposed to the aid. The Senate is pushing through several procedural votes on the slimmed-down package as negotiations continue over potential amendments to the legislation.

Schumer has stated that he is open to amendments but has forced senators to stay in session through the weekend to try and speed up the process. In a key vote last week, 17 Republican senators agreed to start debate on the bill, and 31 voted against it, giving McConnell and other Republican supporters of the aid new hope that it could pass.

However, even if the Senate does pass the package, its future is deeply uncertain in the House, where a large majority of GOP lawmakers are firmly allied with Trump. The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Bradford Betz is a Fox News Digital breaking reporter covering crime, political issues, and much more.