WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) – The Senate is teeing up a vote to pass a massive foreign aid bill. While most Americans were watching the Super Bowl senators were in Washington working overtime to advance the massive package. It is poised to pass in the Senate but not without some very vocal push back from Republicans.
After weeks of partisan bickering, the Senate is moving slowly toward passing a $95.3 billion package to help Israel, Taiwan and Ukraine.
Senate Majority leader Chuck Schumer is pushing for final approval of the bill this week.
“It’s a down payment for the survival of western democracy and the survival of American values,” said Schumer.
18 republicans led by Senate Minority leader Mitch McConnell voted to advance the package over the weekend, but the vast majority of Senate Republicans remain dead set against the bill.
“We should not send a dime to Ukraine until our borders are fully secure,” said Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.).
Kentucky Republican Senator Rand Paul is working to delay the process as long as he can. He slammed Senate leadership for working in cahoots to force the deal through.
“Open the champagne, pop the cork, the Senate Democrat leader and the Republican leader are on the way to Kyiv,” said Paul.
The bill would send $60 billion to Ukraine to support its war against Russia. U.S. aid to Ukraine ran out last month.
Monday, President Joe Biden said Congress must step up.
“We have to end the political games folks,” he said.
Once the bill makes it past the Senate, it faces a potentially even bigger hurdle in the Republican-led House. It remains unclear if Speaker of the House Mike Johnson will bring the bill to a vote.
