The House passed legislation Saturday to send aid to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan, despite objections from many conservative House Republicans.
“Remember that 80% of the Ukraine funding will go to the replenishment of American weapons and stocks in our facilities and our operations,” House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) said in remarks after the passage.
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin similarly noted that the funding will largely stay in the U.S.
“By providing approximately $50 billion that will flow directly into our defense industrial base, this bill will create good American jobs in more than 30 states even as it reinforces U.S. long-term security,” Austin said in a statement.
What’s Next
The Senate, which passed similar legislation last year, could agree to the House version quickly, potentially by Wednesday night, according to a Monday morning report from Punchbowl News.
President Biden said he would sign it immediately.
“We would like very much to be able to rush the security assistance in the volumes we think [Ukraine needs] to be able to be successful,” Pentagon Press Secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder said, according to an AP article outlining how quickly the aid would flow.
Air Force photo of 2022 Ukraine aid shipment by Tech. Sgt. J.D. Strong II
