Bipartisan lawmakers propose major Ukraine aid package of up to $100 billion

LAWMAKERS ON BOTH SIDES OF THE AISLE ON CAPITOL HILL ARE MOVING TO SEND MORE AID TO UKRAINE… A LOT MORE… 

ITS AN EFFORT THAT PRO-UKRAINE SENATORS SAY WOULD ALLOW THE U-S TO SEND ENOUGH RESOURCES AND AID TO LAST THE WAR-TORN COUNTRY THROUGH THE 20-24 U-S PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION AND COULD COST FIFTY TO ONE-HUNDRED BILLION DOLLARS.

THE NEW PROPOSAL WOULD DWARF PRESIDENT BIDEN’S  AUGUST REQUEST FOR TWENTY-FOUR BILLION DOLLARS IN ADDITIONAL UKRAINE AID… LAWMAKERS FIGHTING FOR THE EXPANDED FUNDING SAY IT WOULD BE EASIER TO WIN VOTES FOR ONE BIG PACKAGE AS OPPOSED TO SEVERAL SMALLER ONES.

PROPONENTS ALSO SAY A MAJOR PACKAGE WOULD SHOW THE WORLD AMERICA’S COMMITMENT TO UKRAINE REGARDLESS OF THE UPHEAVAL IN CONGRESS.

HOWEVER, SOME REPUBLICAN LAWMAKERS ARE BECOMING INCREASINGLY MORE HESITANT TO SEND MORE AID TO UKRAINE.

 TO DATE – CONGRESS HAS ALREADY APPROVED MORE THAN ONE-HUNDRED BILLION DOLLARS IN MILITARY, ECONOMIC, AND HUMANITARIAN AID SINCE THE START OF THE INVASION. 

MONEY THAT REPUBLICANS WANT TO SEE ACCOUNTED FOR.

ACCORDING TO A RECENT REUTERS POLL, AMERICANS’ SUPPORT FOR SENDING RESOURCES TO UKRAINE IS FALLING… IN MAY, A REUTERS POLL SHOWED 46-PERCENT OF RESPONDENTS SUPPORTED SENDING AID COMPARED TO THE MOST RECENT POLL SHOWING SUPPORT AMONG RESPONDENTS AT 41-PERCENT.

LAST WEEK WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY KARINE JEAN-PIERRE ADDRESSED WHAT HAS BEEN DESCRIBED AS QUOTE: “WESTERN FATIGUE” OVER UKRAINE FUNDING AND SUPPORT…

White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre

“The President has built a coalition of more than 50 countries — right? — he providing — to provide aid to support Ukraine.  That is what the President has done.  And we have rallied more than 140 countries to condemn Russia’s invasion into — into Ukraine.  That’s what the President has been able to do.  

There is strong — a very strong international coalition behind Ukraine.  And if Putin thinks he can outlast us, he’s wrong.  He’s wrong. 

And so, we will have another package of aid for Ukraine soon to signal our continued support for the brave people of Ukraine.”

DESPITE SOME REPUBLICANS BALKING AT SENDING MORE AID… REPUBLICAN SENATOR LINDSEY GRAHAM SAYS MAJOR FUNDING FOR UKRAINE WILL GET PASSED IN THE SENATE..

Lindsey Graham – Senator (R-S.C.)

“…I am not worried about the next six weeks, I am worried about next year. We will produce in the United States Senate Ukraine funding $60 or $70 billion, not $24 billion to get them through next year.”

ANY AID TO UKRAINE WOULD LIKELY HAVE TO BE VOTED ON AFTER THE SENATE RETURNS FROM RECESS ON OCTOBER 16TH.

BUT ALSO ON THE DOCKETT –

A FEDERAL SPENDING BUDGET THAT HAS TO BE PASSED BY NOVEMBER 17TH TO AVOID A GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN.

AND **POTENTIALLY A BILL TO SEND AID TO ISRAEL.

IF THE UKRAINE PACKAGE PASSES THE SENATE –

IT’S UNCERTAIN WHETHER IT WOULD GET PASSED BY A REPUBLICAN-CONTROLLED HOUSE.

AS THAT CHAMBER IS ALSO GETTING ITSELF IN ORDER FOR A BUSY SESSION –

BEGINNING WITH ELECTING A NEW SPEAKER THIS WEEK.