After months of negotiations, the U.S. Senate on Sunday unveiled a bipartisan $118 billion border security bill that would also provide aid to Ukraine and Israel, but amid opposition from Donald Trump and hardline Republicans , the future of this bill is unclear.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said a preliminary vote on the bill would take place no later than Wednesday, but it faces bipartisan opposition.
In addition to $20.2 billion for border security, the bill includes $60 billion to support Ukraine’s war with Russia, $14.1 billion for Israeli security assistance and $2.4 billion for U.S. Central Command, according to Senate sources. and Red Sea conflicts, and $4.8 billion to support U.S. partners in the Indo-Pacific region facing China’s aggressive behavior.
Another $10 billion will provide humanitarian aid to civilians in Gaza, the West Bank and Ukraine, sources said.
Sources said the United States will provide $4.8 billion to support key regional partners in the Indo-Pacific, where tensions have increased between Taiwan and China, and $2.3 billion to help Ukraine displaced by Russia’s invasion and other refugees fleeing persecution.
“The priorities in this bill are too important to ignore and too important to let politics get in the way,” Schumer said in a statement. “The United States and our allies are facing multiple challenges from adversaries. , complex and in some places coordinated challenges by adversaries seeking to undermine democracy and expand authoritarian influence around the world.”
Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell has been supportive of negotiations, saying Republicans would not get a better deal even with a Republican in the White House.
But other congressional Republicans say President Joe Biden can enact many of the changes they want to immigration policy through executive action, despite previous calls for legislative action.
Biden asked Congress in October to pass a measure to provide additional financial aid to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan.
The request was put on hold as House Republicans insisted it was tied to a shift in immigration policy.
Immigration is Americans’ second-biggest concern, particularly Republicans’ top issue, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll released on Wednesday. In fiscal year 2023, the U.S. Border Patrol apprehended approximately 2 million immigrants at the border.
(This article is based on reports from Reuters)
#U.S #Senate #unveils #billion #bipartisan #bill #strengthen #border #security #aid #Ukraine #Israel #boycott #China
2024-02-05 01:32:52
