US House of Representatives approves $40 billion Ukraine aid package
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Reuters reported that every “nay” vote came from the Republican Party.
The bill now heads to the U.S. Senate, which is expected to vote on it in the near future.
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“This bill will protect democracy, limit Russian aggression, and strengthen our own national security, while, most importantly, supporting Ukraine,” said Representative Rosa DeLauro, the Democratic chair of the House Appropriations Committee.
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The aid package was introduced in response to U.S. President Joe Biden’s request for urgent military and financial support for Ukraine.
Some Republican Party representatives criticized the Democratic Party for being too generous with spending U.S. taxpayers’ money abroad.
The bill includes $6 billion in operational support for Ukraine’s defense against the full-scale Russian invasion, $8.7 billion for further procurement of U.S.-made weapon systems, and $3.9 billion in funding for the Allied European Command.
Additionally, $11 billion will be made available for the president’s discretionary spending fund. Biden’s initial request asked for $5 billion.
Moreover, $4 billion will be used in military funding for Ukraine and neighboring countries that were hit by the refugee crisis resulting from Russia’s aggression against Ukraine.
