On February 4th, the US Senate unveiled a $118 billion security bill, including enhanced border protection and aid for Ukraine and Israel, following months of negotiations.
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| Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer affirmed that the new security bill is very important. (Source: AP) |
In addition to the $20.23 billion allocated for border security, the bill also includes $60.06 billion to support Ukraine in its conflict with Russia, $14.1 billion for Israeli security assistance, and $2.44 billion for the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) and the conflict in the Red Sea.
The U.S. also plans to spend $4.83 billion to support its partners in the Indo- Pacific region who are facing aggression from China.
Sources indicate the bill also includes $10 billion to provide humanitarian aid to civilians in Gaza, the West Bank, and Ukraine.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said the initial vote on the bill would take place no later than February 7, but it faces bipartisan opposition.
Schumer stated: “The priorities in this bill are too important to ignore, nor can they be hindered by political factors… The United States and its allies are facing complex challenges, sometimes involving coordinated efforts from adversaries.”
According to Reuters , the bill faces an uncertain future amid opposition from presidential candidate Donald Trump and hardliners within the Republican Party.
The Republican Party refused to approve President Joe Biden's request for an additional $60 billion in aid to Ukraine until the Democrats accepted their demands for measures to restrict migration across the border from Mexico.
Recently, the European Union (EU) agreed on a €50 billion ($54 billion) aid package for Ukraine, thereby creating momentum for the US to approve a new aid package for Kyiv.
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