The Senate is expected to take up its own version of a bill providing aid to Israel and Ukraine days after the House passed a stand-alone bill for Israel aid with some conditions.
Sen. Lindsey Graham (R., S.C.) told CNN’s State of the Union that the Senate is likely to approve aid for both Israel and Ukraine along with other issues.
“I am for Ukraine support,” Graham said Sunday. “I think you will see a package of border security, funding for Ukraine, funding for Israel coming out of the Senate probably as one package.”
Secretary of State Antony Blinken paid an unannounced visit to the West Bank on Sunday, where he met with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas amid rising calls for a cease-fire or humanitarian pause on further Israeli strikes in Gaza.
Blinken said in a social media post after the meeting that the U.S. affirmed its commitment to delivering humanitarian assistance and restoring essential services in Gaza.
Israel continued its strikes on Gaza on Sunday, according to the Associated Press, as it rejected calls for a pause of its battle against Hamas.
Last week the House passed a $14.3 billion aid package for Israel but tied the funding to cutting an equal amount of money set aside for the Internal Revenue Service, something House Democrats oppose. The bill passed in a 226-196 vote, but is likely to meet opposition in the Senate from both sides of the aisle.
The Biden administration has asked for $106 billion in aid for Israel and Ukraine, along with other national security priorities such as border security.
Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky urged American lawmakers to maintain aid for the fight against Russia, telling NBC’s Meet the Press it’s a better choice to support Ukraine now than risking a Russian attack on a NATO country that could require U.S. troop involvement.
“If Russia will kill all of us, they will attack NATO countries, and you will send your sons and daughters,” he said. “The price will be higher.”
But Republicans want to cut spending, pointing to the deficit. House Speaker Mike Johnson has signaled that Ukraine aid will be considered.
Johnson told Fox News Sunday: “We’re trying to take care of our priorities and we will. We know that these other important measures are right there on the table, and we’re working through it hour by hour, day by day.”
House Majority Leader Steve Scalise told ABC’s This Week: “At the end of the day, we passed the bill to give the aid to Israel and it was a bipartisan vote.” Twelve Democrats in the House voted with Republicans to pass the bill, while two Republicans voted against it.
Write to Liz Moyer at liz.moyer@barrons.com
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