(DailyAnswer.org) – Republicans have slated a Senate Bill that would provide Ukraine with 75 times more funding than the Southern Border. The bill that would see $48 billion sent to Ukraine was negotiated by Republican Oklahoma Senator James Lankford, Democratic Connecticut Senator Chris Murphy, and Independent Arizona Senator Kyrsten Sinema. Lankford’s office reported that $650 million was committed to reinforcing the border wall that is only likely to cover roughly two dozen miles of the border. The sum is dwarfed by the $50 billion of U.S. tax dollars critics say will all go to defending Ukraine’s borders against Russian invasion.
The Republican opposition to the bill has been challenged over its accuracy; the military funding is also being used to purchase weapons from US companies to replenish the US military’s arsenal. It will, however, go towards financing military operations and securing new weapons deals with Ukraine. Furthermore, both President Joe Biden and Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell have praised the move for creating more jobs in the defense industry and for allowing for aid to be provided to Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan. That aid has been stalled for months.
The bill raises concerns about the amount invested in military aid to foreign countries compared to what it provides to secure the southern border. The bill required at least 60 out of 100 senators to vote in favor, meaning that a significant number of Republicans needed to back it if it were to pass. Biden commented that domestic division cannot be allowed to get in the way of the global responsibilities of the United States.
Republican Kentucky Senator Rand Paul vocally opposed the bill on social media, arguing that if it were made law, there would not be sufficient time to assess its consequences. He also said the push to provide over $60 billion to the “corrupt” Kyiv regime while neglecting to sufficiently fund border control must be stopped. In a joint statement with fellow Republicans, Speaker Mike Johnson stated that considering the bill in its current form was a waste of time and that it should be rejected. Johnson is now facing criticism from Republicans for two unsuccessful votes – one that failed to impeach Alejandro Mayorkas over the Border Crisis and another that has been unable to get through a Republican alternative to the Senate Bill that would also see $17.6 billion sent in aid to Israel.
Regardless, the bill was ultimately shot down by Republicans in the Senate.
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