The US Senate has approved a USD 95.3 billion aid package for Ukraine and Israel, as well as to enhance security in the Indo-Pacific region, including Taiwan.
This decision, made on Tuesday night, marks the end of a period of uncertainty regarding US support for Kyiv in its conflict against Russian aggression. The bill received bipartisan support with a vote of 79-18.
Having been passed by the House of Representatives earlier, the bill is now awaiting President Joe Biden’s signature at the White House.
In a statement, Biden expressed his intention to promptly sign the bill into law and address the nation upon receiving it the following day. He emphasized the urgency of providing assistance to Ukraine, Israel, and other regions affected by conflicts and disasters.
The bill encompasses four main components: a USD 60.8 billion aid package for Ukraine, a USD 26.4 billion allocation for Israel and humanitarian aid, an USD 8.1 billion fund for Taiwan and other allies in the Indo-Pacific, and a supplementary bill addressing various issues such as TikTok and frozen Russian assets.
Included in the bill is USD 23.2 billion to replenish US weapon stocks sent to Ukraine, as well as USD 13.8 billion in direct support for the Ukrainian military. Additionally, the bill mandates the transfer of long-range tactical missiles to the Ukrainian Army, unless such action is deemed detrimental to US security interests.
The bill provides USD 5.4 billion to restock US weapons and equipment delivered to Israel and to enhance the defense industrial base, USD 5.2 billion for Iron Dome, David’s Sling, and Iron Beam defense systems, and USD 2.4 billion for US Central Command operations in the Middle East.
Additionally, it designates USD 9.2 billion for humanitarian aid in Gaza, Haiti, Sudan, Ethiopia, Congo, and other conflict areas. Nevertheless, no funds can be transferred to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency without certification that no funding is diverted to Hamas.
Regarding the Indo-Pacific region, the bill assigns USD 3.3 billion for the development of US submarine infrastructure, including dry dock construction; USD 2 billion in aid for Taiwan, the Philippines, and other regional allies to procure US weapons and equipment.
For the replenishment of US weapons and equipment stocks sent to the region and the expansion of the defense industrial base, USD 2 billion has been allocated; USD 542 million for US Indo-Pacific Command operations, and USD 250 million for World Bank International Development Association loans and grants.
One of the bill’s provisions requires Chinese-owned ByteDance Ltd. to divest its stake in TikTok within one year of enactment, or US app stores and internet hosting services will be prohibited from carrying the product.
Furthermore, it prohibits data brokers from selling Americans’ personal information to countries like China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea, or organizations controlled by those governments.
The bill authorizes the confiscation of frozen Russian assets in the US for transfer to a “Ukraine Support Fund” for economic aid and establishes an international fund to receive frozen Russian assets from foreign partners to compensate Ukraine.
Sanctions are also imposed on Iranian oil exports and ballistic-missile technology, as well as Iranian leaders; on Hamas and its affiliated groups; and on individuals involved in the trafficking of Captagon.
The bill’s components closely mirror those of a Senate bill that received bipartisan backing in February. It allocates USD 60.8 billion for Ukraine, USD 26.4 billion for Israel, and humanitarian assistance for civilians in conflict areas such as Gaza, along with USD 8.1 billion for the Indo-Pacific region.
Nine Republicans who had previously opposed the aid bill in the Senate in February now back it.
When Senator Markwayne Mullin of Oklahoma altered his vote on Tuesday to support advancing the bill, Senator Mitch McConnell, the Republican minority leader from Kentucky, gave him a thumbs-up on the Senate floor.
Senator Mullin highlighted on Newsmax that “Seventy-five per cent of the bill’s total funding remains in the United States,” as he explained his backing for the bill, emphasizing its support for the defense industry and munitions replenishment.
