US House approves US$95 billion for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan

The United States House, with a Republican majority, approved this Saturday (April 20, 2024) US$95 billion in financial aid for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan after months of impasse by lawmakers.

The proposal now goes to the US Senate, with a Democratic majority. It includes:

• US$ 60,84 billion in aid to Ukraine in the war against Russia, including $23 billion to replenish the U.S. stockpile of weapons and facilities;
• US$26 billion to Israel, including $9.1 billion in humanitarian aid; It is
• US$8.12 billion in security assistance to Taiwan and other allies in the Indo-Pacific.

The financial aid package is made up of 3 bills that were voted on separately.

The proposal on Ukraine passed with 311 votes in favor and 112 against. The one from Israel received 366 favorable and 58 contrary manifestations. The bill on Taiwan and other allies in the Indo-Pacific received 385 votes in favor and 34 against.

In a statement released by the White House, the President of the United States, Democrat Joe Biden, thanked deputies from the Democratic and Republican parties, stating that they came together to approve a “urgently needed national security legislation” which he fought for months. He also asked the Senate to analyze “quickly” the package.

The President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, also celebrated the initiative. “We appreciate all the signs of support for our country and its independence, people and way of life, which Russia is trying to bury under the rubble. […] We will, without a doubt, use American assistance to strengthen both our nations and bring a just end to this war, which Putin must lose.”said in a publication on X (formerly Twitter).

The US House also approved, by 360 votes in favor and 58 against, a 4th bill that requires the sale of TikTok by Chinese owner ByteDance and establishes sanctions against Iran and Russia.