U.S. Senate Will Not Assist Ukraine and Israel

A bill to provide new security aid worth billions of dollars to Ukraine and Israel was rejected in the U.S. Senate on Wednesday, as Republicans pushed for stricter measures to control immigration at the U.S.-Mexico border. The measure received 49 votes in favor and 51 against, failing to secure the 60 votes needed in the 100-member Senate to pave the way for discussions, thus threatening President Joe Biden's efforts to provide new aid before the end of the year. The measure included $110.5 billion in aid. The vote was largely partisan, with all Senate Republicans voting no, along with Senator Bernie Sanders, an independent who generally votes with Democrats but expressed concerns about funding the "inhumane military strategy" being pursued by Israel against the Palestinians. The bill would have provided about $50 billion in new security aid to Ukraine, in addition to humanitarian and economic assistance for the government in Kyiv. It also included $14 billion for Israel, which is engaged in a war against Gaza. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, a Democrat, also voted no, preventing him from bringing the measure up again in the future.