Senate Republicans Prepare for Long Haul in Fight Over Ukraine, Israel Aid

The United States Senate is currently in the midst of a contentious debate over a proposed $95 billion aid package for Ukraine, Israel, and the Indo-Pacific. The bill, which includes $60 billion for Ukraine, $14 billion for Israel, $9 billion in humanitarian assistance for Gaza, and nearly $5 billion for the Indo-Pacific, has been a subject of intense negotiations between Democrats and Republicans.

After overcoming the first procedural hurdle on Thursday, the Senate is now gearing up for a protracted debate, with potential weekend sessions and overnight votes looming. Majority Leader Chuck Schumer has announced that the Senate will keep working on the bill until it is completed.

The current landscape is fluid, with the upper chamber now focused on reaching an agreement with Republican colleagues on amendments. Schumer stated, “We are going to keep working on this bill until the job is done.”

The $95 billion package advanced in a 67-32 cloture vote on Wednesday, which required a three-fifths majority. However, the bill does not include any border security measures, which has been a point of contention for Republicans.

Senate Republicans had previously stated that they would not approve funding for Ukraine unless the southern border was secured first. The lack of border security provisions in the bill has led to a standoff between the two parties.

Texas DPS spokesperson Lt. Chris Olivarez recently joined ‘Your World with Neil Cavuto’ to discuss the latest efforts from Republican Texas Gov. Greg Abbott to secure the southern border. Olivarez expressed his concern over the lack of border security measures in the bill, stating that it “did nothing” to address the issue.

The Senate is now awaiting an additional cloture vote before they can enter a period of debate and the opportunity to add amendments. Republicans are expected to bring forth border security-related proposals, but it could be more difficult to consider some of these amendments since the package now does not include any of the border language that was negotiated over the last 4½ months.

Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, one of the key negotiators for the failed border bill, sparred with Sen. Lindsey Graham on the floor Thursday afternoon. Graham dubbed the border bill a “half-hearted effort” he couldn’t cast a vote for. Sinema looked forward to debating and possibly even supporting one or more of Graham’s amendments but acknowledged that it could be more difficult to consider some of these border-related amendments since the package now does not include any of the border language that was negotiated over the last 4½ months.

Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., has expressed his determination to make the Senate stay and work through the weekend to secure the border before passing the aid package. He plans on making the votes drag out until Super Bowl Sunday and believes that none of the amendments will pass since the Democrats will vote in block against every amendment.

The Senate braces for a marathon of debates, the possibility of amendment votes, and the looming specter of prolonged deliberations that could spill into late next week. On Tuesday, Republicans in the lower chamber attempted to pass a standalone bill providing aid only to Israel, but it failed after 14 Republicans and 166 Democrats voted against it.

Jamie Joseph is a writer who covers politics and leads Fox News Digital coverage of the Senate.

In conclusion, the Senate’s progress on the anticipated passage of a standalone $95 billion aid package for Ukraine, Israel, and the Indo-Pacific without border security measures has led to a standoff between Democrats and Republicans. The upper chamber is now gearing up for a protracted debate, with potential weekend sessions and overnight votes looming. The lack of border security provisions in the bill has been a point of contention for Republicans, and Sen. Rand Paul has expressed his determination to make the Senate stay and work through the weekend to secure the border before passing the aid package. The road to a final vote appears winding, with expectations rife for prolonged discussions and procedural intricacies delaying a definitive decision.