New Delhi: The US House of Representatives on Saturday greenlit an aid package aimed at countering China through investments in submarine infrastructure and supporting Taiwan. The Bill, totalling USD 8 billion, now awaits approval in the Senate, with an initial vote expected as soon as Tuesday, news agency AP reported.
In a rare Saturday session, the House was also progressing through a series of votes to authorise USD 95 billion in foreign aid, directed towards Ukraine, Israel, and other American allies. Democrats and Republicans joined forces after months of intense debate over renewed US assistance to deter Russia’s invasion.
With broad bipartisan support, the US House of Representatives passed the USD 61 billion aid package for Ukraine, demonstrating robust American solidarity with the lawmakers’ objective to provide fresh support to the war-torn nation. Some legislators even cheered, waving blue-and-yellow flags of Ukraine.
The House also approved a USD 26 billion package aiding Israel and providing humanitarian relief to people in Gaza, AP reported.
As per the AP report, each unit of the aid package faced a straightforward up-or-down vote. The first segment, a national security Bill featuring a provision mandating the sale of the popular platform TikTok among other priorities, was swiftly endorsed. The subsequent Bill, which supports Indo-Pacific allies, also secured passage.
This unique legislative process is fostering unexpected alliances, propelling the Bills forward. If successful, the entire package will move to the Senate, where approval in the coming days is highly possible. President Joe Biden has pledged to promptly sign it into law, AP reported.
In a separate development, the US Senate passed the reauthorisation of a contentious surveillance program late on Friday, narrowly avoiding its midnight expiration. The White House announced that President Biden would promptly sign the reauthorisation Bill into law.
"Democrats and Republicans came together and did the right thing for our country safety," Reuters quoted Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer as saying.