WASHINGTON – President Biden signed legislation Wednesday providing $95 billion in aid for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan after the Senate gave its approval late Tuesday.

The 79-18 vote came after months of delays, which included the Senate passing a similar measure and leaders in the House of Representatives refusing to hold a vote of their own amid disagreements over sending aid abroad and security priorities at home.

The new legislation also includes a number of House GOP priorities, including sanctions on Iran, the seizure of frozen Russian sovereign assets and a measure that could lead to a nationwide ban of TikTok.

The aid for Ukraine, Israel and the Indo-Pacific region adds up to about $95 billion – the same amount that the earlier Senate bill passed in February would have provided – with an adjustment that $10 billion in Ukraine economic assistance is in the form of a repayable loan, CNN reported.

California Senator Alex Padilla commented that "The United States has shown the world that our resolve to stand with our allies and defend democracy remains ironclad. This aid will be critical to the outcome of the war in Ukraine and the future of western democracy."

Story Date: April 25, 2024