House passes $61 billion in aid for Ukraine
6:14 AM EDT, April 21, 2024
The US House of Representatives has passed a much-anticipated bill for aid to Ukraine, totaling nearly $61 billion. It now awaits approval from the Senate and President Joe Biden's signature. Ukraine's Prime Minister, Denys Shmyhal, has shared plans on how Kyiv intends to use the funds.
Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal detailed the purposes for which the aid, once approved by the Senate, will be used in a Facebook post. The plan includes nearly $61 billion in assistance.
According to the announcement, $49.9 billion is designated for defense spending, $7.8 billion for supporting the Ukrainian budget, $1.57 billion for economic assistance, and $400 million for border protection and demining efforts.
Shmyhal expressed his anticipation for the Senate's approval of the aid package, which he believes will significantly bolster Ukraine's military capabilities, including long-range systems and air defense. He also highlighted the importance of this support in enhancing macro-financial stability and facilitating the swift reconstruction of critical infrastructure.
Senate and Presidential Approval Awaited for the Bill
On Saturday, the House of Representatives voted in favor of four aid bills for Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan, with a total funding of $95 billion. This vote breaks a months-long deadlock, paving the way for renewed assistance to Ukraine.
The aid package for Ukraine, which is the largest at $60.8 billion, saw the most opposition, though it passed. All 210 present Democratic congressmen voted in favor, while less than half of the Republicans (101 out of 213) did the same.
Additionally, the House voted on another bill focused on various security priorities. This includes measures to utilize frozen Russian assets (between $5 and $8 billion) to aid Ukraine and mandates the sale of TikTok by its Chinese owners. The bill also provides Taiwan an aid package of $8 billion and bolsters Indo-Pacific defense. Proposals to eliminate financial support for Ukraine were defeated.
All four projects will now be combined into a single bill for the Senate's consideration, likely to happen next week. A Democratic representative in Congress mentioned that the bill's adoption could occur as early as Tuesday, contingent on procedural agreements in the Senate.
President Joe Biden has pledged to sign the bill into law immediately upon its arrival at his desk.
