The Senate on Sunday took a step closer to passing a $95.3 billion foreign aid bill with crucial assistance for Ukraine and Israel following a key vote to move the package forward – including with the support of 18 Republicans despite opposition from former President Donald Trump. The foreign aid package includes billions of dollars to support Ukraine’s fight against Russia and for security assistance for Israel, as well as humanitarian assistance for civilians in Gaza, the West Bank and Ukraine. “I can’t remember the last time the Senate was in session on Super Bowl Sunday,” Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said. Lawmakers are moving forward with the foreign aid bill after Republicans blocked a broader bill that would have combined foreign aid with a bipartisan border deal. For his part, the former president also wrote Saturday on Truth Social that the US should stop providing foreign aid unless it is structured as a loan, illustrating the political pressure on Republicans to kill the legislation.

Source: CNN February 11, 2024 16:08 UTC