Senate advances foreign aid bill in procedural vote

The Senate on Monday evening cleared a pivotal procedural hurdle to advance a $95.3 billion foreign aid package including funds for Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan, overcoming a 60-vote threshold to limit debate on the package.

The upper chamber approved the measure in a 66 to 33 vote.

While the bill enjoys support from Democrats and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, conservative Senate Republicans remain vigorously opposed to the plan, including Kentucky GOP Sen. Rand Paul, who has attempted to filibuster the legislation.

Ahead of the vote, House Speaker Mike Johnson signaled the House would oppose the measure should it clear the upper chamber.

"The mandate of national security supplemental legislation was to secure America’s own border before sending additional foreign aid around the world," he said. "It is what the American people demand and deserve. Now, in the absence of having received any single border policy change from the Senate, the House will have to continue to work its own will on these important matters. America deserves better than the Senate’s status quo."

Ben Whedon is an editor and reporter for Just the News. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter.