Senate Passes Ukraine, Israel Aid Package After Months Of GOP Delays

WASHINGTON ― The Senate on Tuesday approved long-awaited U.S. aid to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan, sending the bill to President Joe Biden’s desk for his signature and reaffirming U.S. commitment to its allies abroad after months of delays caused by intraparty Republican warfare on Capitol Hill.

Senators voted 79-18 in favor of the House-passed $95 billion foreign aid package, which includes $61 billion for Ukraine, $8 billion for Taiwan and $26 billion for Israel and humanitarian aid. The legislation also includes a controversial provision forcing the popular social media app TikTok to be sold or to face a ban in the U.S.

The bill picked up more support since the last time the chamber voted on a similar package in February: 10 senators changed their votes to advance the measure on Tuesday.

“Today the Senate sends a unified message to the entire world: America will always defend democracy in its hour of need,” Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) said on the Senate floor on Tuesday. “We tell our allies: We will stand with you. We tell our adversaries: Don’t mess with us. We tell the world: We will do everything to defend democracy and our way of life.”

“This is an important day for America and a very important day for freedom-loving countries around the world,” said Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), taking a bit of a victory lap after spending months trying to build GOP support for the bill.

“I think we’ve turned the corner on the isolationist movement,” the retiring Republican leader added, blaming commentators on the far right, including former Fox News host Tucker Carlson and former President Donald Trump, for contributing to the delays.

Whether the Republican Party has rejected isolationism for