US Senate Agrees on $158 Trillion Package to Support Ukraine and Israel

Biden "Strong Support" Statement
Passage in House with Strong Trump Influence 'Uncertain'

The U.S. Senate has agreed on a 'package deal' concerning key issues such as support for Israel and Ukraine, which are at war, and strengthening border control.

The exterior view of the United States Capitol in Washington DC.
Photo by AP [Image source=AP Yonhap News]

On the 4th (local time), according to AP News and others, Patty Murray, Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, announced a security budget bill worth $118 billion (approximately 158 trillion won) to be allocated for support to Israel and Ukraine, strengthening border control, support for Indo-Pacific alliances and partners, and humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip.

The budget bill includes $60 billion in military and humanitarian aid for Ukraine, which has been fighting against the Russian invasion for about two years, $14 billion in military aid for Israel, and $5 billion in support related to the Indo-Pacific strategy, including Taiwan.

Earlier, the Biden administration submitted a security budget bill worth $105 billion to Congress in October last year, bundling military support for Israel and Ukraine, support for Indo-Pacific alliances, and strengthening border management.

However, the House Republicans, led by Speaker Mike Johnson, showed reluctance toward supporting Ukraine, and former President Donald Trump, who exerts influence over Republican House members, demanded a halt to border-related agreements as part of his election strategy, causing continued difficulties in passing the budget bill.

In response, the Biden administration urged the Republicans for magnanimous cooperation, warning that Ukraine, which desperately needs U.S. support, could lose the war, while also indicating a willingness to concede on the issue of strengthening border control, which is important to the Republicans.

President Biden, in a statement on the day, said he "strongly supports" the Senate's package agreement and "urges Congress to unite and swiftly pass this bipartisan agreement."

Additionally, President Biden described the immigration provisions included in this agreement as "the strictest and fairest border reform in decades."

The Republicans have criticized the Biden administration's 'lenient' border and immigration policies for significantly increasing illegal immigration and have focused heavily on border issues. In fact, as the seriousness of the problem grew due to the large influx of migrants even in Democratic-leaning cities such as New York and Chicago, the Democrats also shifted toward strengthening border control.

The U.S. daily Wall Street Journal (WSJ) analyzed, "Considering the decades-long partisan battles over border issues and the upcoming U.S. presidential election in November, the 370-page agreement is expected to face a thorny path."

The vote on the budget bill is expected to take place no later than the 7th. Since there may be defections from Republicans who have opposed the bill, its passage remains uncertain at this time.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.