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© Reuters. U.S. Sen. Edward Markey (D-MA) speaks throughout a press convention addressing a brand new coverage that calls for recipients of overseas army support to comply with worldwide humanitarian legislation on the U.S. Capitol in Washington, U.S., February 9, 2024. REUTERS/Nathan Howa
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By David Morgan
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The U.S. Senate on Friday edged nearer to passing a invoice that features $95.34 billion in support for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan, however faces an unsure path to turning into legislation on account of Republican opposition in each chambers of Congress.
The Senate voted 64-19 to advance the laws one step alongside a series of preliminary votes that would stretch into subsequent week, until occasion leaders can attain settlement with rank-and-file lawmakers to fast-track the invoice. Lawmakers anticipate to take the following procedural step in a uncommon Sunday session.
In Friday’s vote, the invoice cleared a easy majority threshold with 14 Republicans supporting the measure.
Many Republicans need to make a cope with Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, a Democrat, to permit amendments to the laws in change for faster motion.
But different Republicans, who reject the invoice’s $61 billion in Ukraine support, have vowed to delay consideration for so long as potential by forcing the Senate to adjust to a labyrinth of time-consuming parliamentary guidelines.
Republicans had insisted that Ukraine support be accompanied by provisions to safe the U.S.-Mexico border, solely to reject a bipartisan border settlement as soon as former President Donald Trump, the occasion’s presidential frontrunner, got here out in opposition to the deal.
Some of those self same lawmakers now hope to supply their very own amendments to stem the move of migrants into the United States, whereas others need to forgo humanitarian help provisions and prohibit overseas support to weapons and materiel.
If the laws in the end passes the Senate, it’s going to face an unsure future within the Republican-controlled House of Representatives, the place Speaker Mike Johnson has indicated he might cut up the help into separate payments.
“We’ll see what the Senate does,” Johnson informed reporters this week. “I’ve made very clear that you have to address these issues on their own merits.”
Johnson spoke a day after the House rejected a stand-alone support invoice for Israel.