US Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer on Monday supported the first procedural vote on an additional funding package requested by US President Joe Biden, amounting to $106 billion to help Ukraine, Israel, the Indian Pacific region and for humanitarian purposes in Gaza, UNN reports citing The Hill.
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Schumer reportedly organized a scheduled vote on the closed bill to take place later this week. He said that moving the measure forward is necessary "as Ukraine is running out of resources to continue the war against the Russian invasion," the newspaper writes.
"I urge every senator to consider where we are at this moment in history. America's national security is at risk around the world - in Europe, the Middle East and the Indo-Pacific," Schumer said. - "The [supplemental document] could determine the trajectory of democracy for years to come. We are living in a moment of history."
However, The Hill reports, the bill is unlikely to overcome this initial hurdle.
Republicans have said that they will vote against proceeding on the supplemental bill if there is no border component attached. The GOP says a border deal is paramount to winning their support for the bill as it will not get across the finish line in the House without it.
Sen. Chris Murphy, the top Democratic negotiator, told reporters that talks have broken down as Republicans have refused to back off what he described as "take it or leave it" demands.
"That’s what it feels like. That Republicans want us to swallow their most difficult proposals and aren’t interested in sitting down and working this out," Murphy added.
Top administration officials, including Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines, are set to brief all senators Tuesday on the situation in Ukraine. The briefing will be classified.
Schumer announced that the administration also invited Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to address senators via a secure video to lay out the situation facing Kyiv.
"There is no hard and fast deadline for lawmakers to pass a supplemental bill, which could hypothetically stretch into next year. But the White House on Monday said it would run out of aid for Ukraine by the end of the year without congressional action", The Hill reports.