Senate Moves Toward Approving Aid to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan

The Senate was headed on Tuesday toward a critical vote to clear the way for final consideration of the $95.3 billion package of aid to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan, setting the stage for approving the bill and sending it to President Biden for his signature.

The measure, passed by the House on Saturday, was expected to draw broad bipartisan support in a test vote scheduled for early afternoon. That would tee up a vote on final passage as early as Tuesday evening. Mr. Biden has urged lawmakers to move quickly on the bill so he can sign it into law.

“The Senate convenes at a moment nearly six months in the making,” Senator Chuck Schumer, Democrat of New York and the majority leader, said. “A few days ago, the House of Representatives at long last approved essential national security funding for Ukraine, for Israel, for the Indo-Pacific and for humanitarian assistance. Today it is the Senate’s turn to act.”

“Let us not delay this,” he continued. “Let us not prolong this. Let us not keep our friends around the world waiting for a moment longer.”

The House on Saturday passed the package in four pieces: a measure for each of the three U.S. allies, and another meant to sweeten the deal for conservatives that includes a provision that could result in a nationwide ban of TikTok. They sent legislation to the Senate as a single package that will require only one up-or-down vote to pass. Speaker Mike Johnson structured the legislation that way in the House to capture different coalitions of support without allowing opposition to any one element to defeat the whole thing.

The bill’s components are nearly identical to one that passed the Senate with bipartisan support in February. It includes $60.8 billion for Ukraine; $26.4 billion for Israel and humanitarian aid for civilians in conflict zones, including Gaza; and $8.1 billion for the Indo-Pacific region.