President Biden had pleaded for Congress to pass the $111 billion proposal
The White House proposal that included over $60 billion in funding for Kiev failed to pass in the Senate on Wednesday, falling short of the 60 votes necessary to proceed.
The final vote was 49 in favor and 51 against, with Senator Bernie Sanders, a Vermont independent who normally votes with the Democrats, joining the Republican opposition. Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, a New York Democrat, also voted “no” so he could bring the bill up again at a later date, according to The Hill.
The White House originally requested $105 billion in emergency supplemental “national security” funding in October, choosing to bundle the aid to Ukraine with money for Israel, Taiwan and “border security” in order to appeal to Republicans. The GOP-majority House has insisted on dealing with each issue in a separate appropriations bill – which the Democrat-dominate Senate refused.
Earlier in the day, President Joe Biden urged the Senate to approve the bill, accusing Republicans of wanting to “literally kneecap Ukraine on the battlefield and damage our national security in the process” and holding the funding for Kiev “hostage” to border policy.
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