The Senate is expected to easily pass the House’s $95 billion foreign aid package for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan this week but not before several senators who oppose the bundle have their say.
Lawmakers will take up the package Tuesday during what was supposed to be a recess week, and Senate Democratic leader Charles E. Schumer is scrambling to strike a deal to stop the unhappy senators from delaying the final vote until Wednesday.
Amendments that could slow down the bill are coming from Republican Sens. Rick Scott of Florida and Mike Lee of Utah and democratic socialist Sen. Bernard Sanders of Vermont.
Mr. Scott has filed a motion that would derail the bill by referring it to the Appropriations Committee.
Mr. Sanders has two amendments tied to the $61 billion in aid for Israel’s war against Hamas in Gaza.
Mr. Sanders said on X that one of his amendments will demand that the U.S. provide “no unfettered military aid to Netanyahu’s war machine,” a reference to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
The other amendment would restore funding for the U.N. Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees “so that children in Gaza don’t starve,” he said.
The House voted to strip funding from the U.N. agency because of reports linking UNRWA workers to Hamas terrorists. The agency is supposed to provide food, medicine and basic services to Palestinians in Gaza and across the Middle East.
GOP lawmakers, including Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart of Florida, said the agency is “a de facto subsidiary of Hamas.”
Mr. Lee has an amendment that will guarantee that the loan stipulations for Ukraine are repaid and used to pay down the $35 trillion U.S. debt.
None of the amendments are expected to pass. The House-passed foreign aid package is expected to clear the 60-vote threshold with vast bipartisan support and glide to final passage.
Sen. Lindsey Graham, South Carolina Republican, criticized his GOP colleagues for balking at the $61 billion for Ukraine to fight Russia.
“I challenge [Sen.] J.D. Vance to go to Ukraine and get a briefing from the Ukrainian military and talk to the Ukrainian people, then tell me what you think,” Mr. Graham said on Fox News on Sunday.
House Speaker Mike Johnson pushed the foreign aid package to passage in the House on Saturday despite threats from his right flank to oust him from his leadership post.
The sweeping package, passed in four separate bills, includes $61 billion for Ukraine, $23 billion for Israel and $8 billion for Taiwan and other Indo-Pacific allies to fend off China. A fourth measure would impose sanctions on Iran, Russia and China and use seized Russian assets to pay for some of the Ukraine spending.
The package also includes a provision requiring the social media company TikTok to divest from China within a year.