IRIA News

After months of delays, the United States Senate has approved a $95 billion aid package for Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan with an overwhelming bipartisan majority. U.S. President Biden signed the bill into law on April 24, 2024.

The U.S. Senate approved the bill with an overwhelming 79-18 vote on the evening of April 23, 2024, following the House’s endorsement of the package last week.

President Biden, who collaborated with congressional leaders to develop the aid package, announced in a statement right after the bill’s passage that he would sign it the very next day to formally commence the distribution of weapons to Ukraine, which has been grappling to maintain its defenses against Russia.

“Congress has passed my legislation to strengthen our national security and send a message to the world about the power of American leadership: we stand resolutely for democracy and freedom, and against tyranny and oppression,” Biden said in a statement released by the White House.

Today, we answered history’s call at this critical inflection point.

With the signing of our national security package, we tell the world that America stands resolutely for democracy and freedom, and against tyranny and oppression. pic.twitter.com/APhOSWWJLN

— President Biden (@POTUS) April 24, 2024

The legislation comprises four bills that received bipartisan support and passed in the House of Representatives. Two Democrats, Senators Merkley and Welch, along with independent Senator Bernie Sanders, opposed the legislation, joined by 15 Republicans.

The first legislation was for the largest share of the aid that would be provided to Ukraine, which amounts to around $61 billion in critically needed funding. The second legislation asked for an aid package for Israel, amounting to $26 billion. This amount would also be used for humanitarian aid projects in conflict zones.

The third legislation mandate of $8.12 billion would be given to Taiwan to “counter communist China” in the Indo-Pacific. A fourth legislation, which the House added to the package last week, includes a potential ban on the Chinese-controlled social media app TikTok, measures for the transfer of seized Russian assets to Ukraine, and new sanctions on Iran.

The approval of the package arrives at a critical time for Ukraine as the war-torn urgently requires additional firepower amidst escalating attacks by Russian President Vladimir Putin. Ukrainian soldiers are facing significant challenges as Russia has surged forward on the battlefield, capturing substantial territory.

President Biden assured Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Monday that the United States would promptly dispatch essential air defense weaponry once the legislation is enacted.

“The President has assured me that the package will be approved quickly and that it will be powerful, strengthening our air defense as well as long-range and artillery capabilities,” Zelenskyy said in a post on Twitter before the voting began in the U.S. Senate.

Final package before elections

The approved aid package for Ukraine might be the final one until after the November elections, during which the White House, House of Representatives, and one-third of the Senate will be contested.

A significant portion of the resistance to the security assistance, both in the House and the Senate, has originated from Republicans closely associated with former U.S. President Donald Trump. Trump, skeptical about aid to Ukraine, has emphasized “America First” policies as he pursues a second term.

US announced $1 billion worth of security package for Ukraine

Soon after President Biden signed the national security supplemental into law, the U.S. Department of Defense announced a significant new security assistance package for Ukraine to meet its critical security and defense needs.

According to the Pentagon statement, “This Presidential Drawdown Authority (PDA) package has an estimated value of $1 billion and includes capabilities to support Ukraine’s most urgent requirements, including air defense interceptors, artillery rounds, armored vehicles, and anti-tank weapons.”

The statement further highlighted that “This package will surge munitions, weapons, and equipment forward to support Ukraine’s ability to defend its frontlines, protect its cities, and counter Russia’s continued attacks.”

The latest military package includes:

• RIM-7 and AIM-9M missiles for air defense;
• Stinger anti-aircraft missiles;
• Small arms and additional rounds of small arms ammunition, including .50 caliber rounds to counter Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS);
• Additional ammunition for High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS);
• 155mm artillery rounds, including High Explosive and Dual Purpose Improved Conventional Munitions rounds;
• 105mm artillery rounds;
• 60mm mortar rounds;
• Bradley Infantry Fighting Vehicles;
• Mine Resistant Ambush Protected Vehicles (MRAPs);
• High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicles (HMMWVs);
• Logistics support vehicles;
• Tactical vehicles to tow and haul equipment;
• Tube-launched, Optically-tracked, Wire-guided (TOW) missiles;
• Javelin and AT-4 anti-armor systems;
• Precision aerial munitions;
• Airfield support equipment;
• Anti-armor mines;
• Claymore anti-personnel munitions;
• Demolition munitions for obstacle clearing; and
• Night vision devices; and
• Spare parts, field equipment, training munitions, maintenance, and other ancillary equipment.

Boost for the defense industry

The advancement of the legislation has been closely monitored by the industry, particularly by U.S. defense firms poised to secure significant contracts for supplying equipment to Ukraine and other U.S. allies.

Experts anticipate that the supplementary spending because of the approval of the package will bolster the orders for companies like RTX Corporation (formerly known as Raytheon Technologies), as well as other major government contract recipients such as Lockheed Martin, General Dynamics, and Northrop Grumman.