WASHINGTON—Last night, the United States Senate passed a foreign aid package totaling $95 billion for Ukraine, Israel, and the Indo-Pacific. President Joe Biden is expected to sign the legislation into law shortly.
In response to the Senate passage, Heritage Foundation Vice President Victoria Coates expressed her concerns about the implications of the aid package. She stated, “Proponents of Congress’ latest foreign aid package believe that it sends a strong message to Communist China. They’re right—but it may not be the message the supporters of the supplemental imagine it is.” Coates highlighted that Beijing is likely to view the aid package as a victory, advancing their goals to become the world's hegemon and undermine U.S. interests.
Coates further critiqued the allocation of funds, pointing out that the aid package provides $60 billion for Ukraine, $26 billion for Israel, and only $8 billion for the Indo-Pacific. She raised concerns about the U.S. prioritizing humanitarian assistance to the Palestinians over countering Communist China in the Indo-Pacific region.
Notably, Coates criticized the absence of funding for border security in the aid package, highlighting the surge in illegal crossings at the southern border. She emphasized that the lack of provisions for border security during this crisis would likely please Beijing.
In conclusion, Coates asserted that the foreign aid package does not serve its intended purpose of deterring China but rather emboldens the U.S.'s top adversary. She stated, “Simply put, Congress’ latest foreign aid package does the opposite of what it says it does, namely deter China. In reality, it does not advance American interests and emboldens our top adversary.”
The Heritage Foundation, a prominent conservative research and educational institution, has been actively involved in shaping conservative policies since its establishment in 1973, reaching millions of Americans daily with critical information on national issues.
