US House votes in favour of $95bn aid to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan

US House on Saturday (Apr 20) voted 311-112 in favourof giving Ukraine $60.8bn military aid package, at a time when Kyiv has been fighting against Russia's invasion over the past two years and is now facing a critical shortage of ammunition to continue its defences. The House also passed a funding of $26.4bn for Israel as the country fights Hamas in Gaza.

Moreover, the House of Representatives also passed a bill that would compel TikTok to divest from its Chinese parent company ByteDance, or else face a nationwide prohibition in the United States as well as a a bill to aid Taiwan while countering China in the Indo-Pacific region.

US House was set to vote on a $95 billion foreign aid package targeted at supporting Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan but Republicans oppose the bill arguing that the funds instead of foreign aid should be redirected toward addressing immigration challenges at the borders.

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Republican Speaker Mike Johnson, defied opposition within his party and has placed his leadership position on the line to push forward this legislation.

The legislation would allocate $60 billion for Ukraine, $26 billion for Israel with additional humanitarian aid for conflict zones like Gaza, and $8 billion for the Indo-Pacific region.

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There are three separate bills for each of these funds. The funding allocation for the third bill earmarks $3.3 billion for the development of submarine infrastructure and $2 billion for foreign military financing for Taiwan and its allied nations.

A fourth bill contains foreign policy proposals on confiscating Russian assets, saleof Chinese video hosting app TikTok, and imposing sanctions on Iran, China, Russia, and firms that traffic the fentanyl that has been responsible for a concerning rise in overdoses and deaths in recent years in the United States.

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Johnson garnered support but is risking a potential ouster due to Republicans and hard-liner Democrats in the House. The Senate will take up the bill, and send the legislation to President Biden.

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Johnson earlier while showing urgency in aiding Ukraine, warned of potential ramifications if Russia were to prevail in the conflict. He stated he "would rather send bullets to Ukraine than American boys"

“My son is going to begin at the Naval Academy this fall,” Mr. Johnson reportedly said at the Capitol earlier adding, “This is a live-fire exercise for me as it is for so many American families. This is not a game. It’s not a joke. We can’t play politics on this. We have to do the right thing, and I’m going to allow an opportunity for every single member of the House to vote their conscience and their will.”

(With inputs from agencies)