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The U.S. Capitol Building photographed on January 10, 2024 in Washington, DC.
The Senate worked to advance policy over the weekend, inching closer to final passage of a $95.3 billion foreign aid bill that includes aid to Ukraine and Israel.
It is not yet clear when a final passing vote will take place, but it is expected to take place sometime this week unless a time agreement is reached.
If the bill ultimately passes the Senate, it will next go to the House of Representatives, where its fate is unclear. It is unclear when Speaker Mike Johnson will vote on the bill, as many House Republicans oppose further aid to Ukraine.
The bill has been debated in the Senate for several days. There is still no agreement on a deadline to expedite the bill’s passage, as Sen. Rand Paul has vowed to postpone it due to protests against the bill.
The presence of just one senator could slow the process, forcing the Senate to take a lengthy vote before final passage.
Paul continued his pursuit Sunday, saying he would hold out until “hell freezes over.” He spoke out on issues such as the national debt, demonstrating his readiness to maintain his seat on the floor. “I love to talk. It’s one of my favorite things,” he said.
“We’re doing this for a purpose,” Paul said. “I don’t like being here…I’m not here because it’s fun. I’m here because I don’t think enough people are talking about the dangers of debt.”
On Sunday, hours before the start of the Super Bowl, Congress took a key vote to advance the package by a combined vote of 67-27..
Two more procedural votes are expected to take place on Monday night.
The foreign aid package includes billions of dollars for aid to Ukraine, security assistance to Israel, and humanitarian assistance to civilians in Gaza, the West Bank, and Ukraine.
According to the Senate Appropriations Report, the bill includes $60 billion to support Ukraine in its fight against Russia, $14.1 billion in security assistance to Israel, $9.2 billion in humanitarian assistance, and $48 billion to support regional partners in the Indo-Pacific region. Includes billions of dollars. Committee.
Lawmakers are considering a foreign aid bill after Republicans blocked a sweeping bill that would combine foreign aid with a bipartisan border agreement. Republicans initially pushed for border security to be included in the bill, but continued to reject bipartisan agreement after strong attacks on the bill from former President Donald Trump and House Republican leaders.
President Trump also wrote on Truth Social over the weekend that the U.S. should stop providing foreign aid unless it’s structured as a loan, another challenge faced by Republicans in an effort to send money to U.S. allies. This is another sign of continuing political pressure.
CNN’s Kate Sullivan contributed to this report.
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