In a 70-29 vote, the Senate has approved a comprehensive national security supplemental package aimed at supporting U.S. allies and delivering critical humanitarian assistance. The package, totaling $95.34 billion, received overwhelming bipartisan support.
U.S. Senator Patty Murray, Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, expressed her satisfaction with the Senate's decision. She called on the Speaker of the House to schedule a vote on the bipartisan package immediately, emphasizing the urgency of the situation in Ukraine. Senator Murray stated, "our friends in Ukraine are not just counting how many days it will take for Congress to deliver on this aid, they are literally counting how much ammunition they have left to beat back Putin's bloody invasion."
Senator Murray sees this as an opportunity for Congress to demonstrate American leadership and fulfill its commitments to allies. She emphasized the importance of providing ammunition to Ukraine and delivering critical humanitarian aid to civilians caught in conflict worldwide. Senator Murray stated, "Let's do more than send a message - let's send ammunition to Ukraine, let's live up to our commitments to our allies, and let's continue America's long tradition of helping those in need by delivering critical humanitarian aid to civilians caught in conflict around the world."
The national security supplemental package includes various provisions aimed at addressing urgent priorities. Notably, it excludes the bipartisan border policy provisions that had initially caused Senate Republicans to indicate their opposition. Senator Murray released an updated version of the package that removed these provisions, leading to its approval.
Senator Murray has been a vocal advocate for U.S. support for Ukraine and has worked diligently as Appropriations Chair to ensure the passage of a comprehensive national security supplemental. She has consistently pushed for aid to allies and humanitarian assistance. In October, when President Biden submitted his full national security supplemental funding request, Senator Murray emphasized the need for Congress to address the urgent priorities outlined in the request. She chaired a hearing with Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken and Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III to discuss these priorities and immediately began negotiations for a bipartisan package.
Senator Murray has been determined to address interrelated national security challenges and has blocked attempts to pass standalone military assistance packages without humanitarian aid. She has insisted on the passage of a comprehensive package that includes aid for Ukraine and Israel, as well as resources to address needs at the border. Unfortunately, previous comprehensive packages were blocked by Senate Republicans who sought to tie border policy changes to funding for Ukraine.
Moving forward, Senator Murray will continue to advocate for other vital supplemental funding needs, including domestic priorities outlined in the President's separate funding request.
The passage of the national security supplemental package in the Senate is a significant step towards supporting U.S. allies and providing critical humanitarian assistance. It is now up to the House of Representatives to schedule a vote on the bipartisan package and ensure swift action. American leadership and commitment to those in need must prevail in these challenging times.
