The Senate advanced a foreign aid package on Tuesday, which includes billions in aid for Israel, Ukraine, and Taiwan. The legislation received wide bipartisan support during a crucial procedural vote, indicating that it has the strength to pass a final vote. Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer urged his colleagues to pass the supplemental quickly to avoid further delays.
If the Senate officially passes the legislation, it will then go to President Joe Biden for his signature. The funding includes approximately $60 billion for Ukraine aid, $26 billion for Israel, and $8 billion for Taiwan and Indo-Pacific security. This bill also contains provisions related to Chinese social media platform TikTok, which could face a ban if its parent company, ByteDance, does not sell the platform within a specified timeline.
TikTok has expressed opposition to this proposal and has spent over $7 million on lobbying and advertisements to prevent Congress from passing the legislation. The foreign aid package has been the subject of GOP infighting, with some House Republicans threatening to oust House Speaker Mike Johnson over the issue. However, Johnson ultimately decided to move forward with the funding after facing pressure from both parties following Iran's attempted attack on Israel.
Former President Donald Trump has expressed support for Johnson, stating that he believes the speaker is doing a good job despite the challenges of leading a narrow majority in the House. Overall, the passage of the foreign aid package represents a significant milestone after months of political battles and deadlock on Capitol Hill.