President Biden on Wednesday hailed the Senate’s passage of a $95 billion package that would send aid to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan.
Mr. Biden spoke from the White House moments after he signed the measure to unlock the aid for America’s allies.
“It’s an investment in our own security because when our allies are stronger … we are stronger,” Mr. Biden said.
The president’s remarks come after the Senate approved the package in a 79-18 vote, which cleared the House on Saturday.
The package includes $60 billion in aid to Ukraine, which Mr. Biden said will “keep them in the fight” against Russia. It includes $26 billion in assistance for Israel and humanitarian relief in Gaza, and $8 billion for security in Taiwan and the Indo-Pacific.
Mr. Biden said within “the next few hours,” the U.S. will begin sending equipment to Ukraine, including air defense munitions, artillery, rocket systems and armored vehicles.
The measure will give TikTok’s China-based parent company nine months to sell the social media outlet or it will be banned in the United States. However, Mr. Biden could extend the period to sell TikTok to a year. Either way, the TikTok prohibition likely won’t occur after the 2024 election.
House lawmakers took up the legislation after Speaker Mike Johnson, Louisiana Republican, bucked conservatives in his party who opposed ending aid to Ukraine and threatened to oust him over the legislation. It still cleared the House by a wide bipartisan margin.
Mr. Biden chastised Republican lawmakers, saying it shouldn’t have taken as long as it did to clear the House and Senate.
“It was a difficult path. It should have been easier and it should have gotten [to my desk] sooner, but in the end we did it,” Mr. Biden said.
Aid for Ukraine and Israel was stalled after House Republicans demanded action on border security first, leading to rounds of negotiations in the Senate on a border package tied to the aid. However, Republicans ultimately rejected that idea.
Mr. Biden said border security measures should have been included in the package and vowed that he would work to get a bill through Congress.
Source:Washington Times
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