Suozzi: “Bipartisan Passage in House on Saturday and Senate Made our Country and Our World Safer”

Washington, DC - After months of delays, last night, the Senate passed the $95 billion foreign aid package by a bipartisan vote of 79 to 18. The supplemental funding package, which passed in the House on Saturday by an overwhelming bipartisan majority, will provide long-awaited aid, including humanitarian aid, to Ukraine, Israel, and the Indo-Pacific. Additionally, it increases sanctions on Russian assets and contains language that could lead to a ban on TikTok in the U.S.

The bill now goes to President Biden, who has pledged to sign it immediately. With the Pentagon standing by and ready to act, much-needed aid could reach war-torn Ukraine within days. 

“Our foreign adversaries tried to divide us and stop us from supporting Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan. Putin, the Iranians, and the Chinese Communist Party were counting on the rhetoric of Moscow Marjorie, and the other isolationists and extremists in the chaos caucus to stop us from doing our jobs. Instead, we, on a bipartisan basis, fulfilled the call of history and fulfilled our role as the indispensable nation,” said Suozzi.

The $95 billion foreign aid package includes: 

Israel

$26.38 billion to support Israel in its effort to defend itself against Iran and its proxies, and to reimburse U.S. military operations in response to recent attacks. Also includes humanitarian aid.

• $4 billion to replenish Iron Dome and David’s Sling missile defense systems.
• $1.2 billion for the Iron Beam defense system to counter short-range rockets and mortar threats.
• $3.5 billion for the procurement of advanced weapons systems, defense articles, and defense services through the Foreign Military Financing Program.
• $1 billion to enhance the production and development of artillery and critical munitions.
• $4.4 billion to replenish defense articles and defense services provided to Israel.
• $2.4 billion for current U.S. military operations in the region in response to recent attacks. 
• $3.5 billion for migration and refugee assistance to assist vulnerable populations.
• $5.7 billion for international disaster assistance.
• Provides additional flexibility for transfers of defense articles to Israel from U.S. stockpiles held abroad.
• Prohibits funds to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA).

Ukraine
$60.84 billion to address the conflict in Ukraine and assist our regional partners as they counter Russia.

• $23.2 billion to replenish Department of Defense stock provided to Ukraine.
• $13.8 billion for the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative.
• $11.3 billion for US military operations in the region.
• $7.9 billion through the Economic Support Fund for Ukraine, with a prohibition on reimbursing pensions.
• $1.6 billion to support critical sectors of Ukraine’s economy and other regional allies.
• $1.6 billion for the Foreign Military Financing program for Ukraine and other regional partners.
• Bolsters oversight through in-person monitoring requirements.
• Requires partners and allies to pay their fair share through cost-matching requirements.
• Mandates agreement on repayment for economic support by the government of Ukraine. 
• Increases the fiscal limits on several Presidential drawdown authorities.  

The Indo-Pacific
$8.12 billion to continue efforts to counter communist China and ensure a strong deterrence in the region. 

• $3.3 billion to develop submarine infrastructure, including investments in dry dock construction. 
• $2 billion in Foreign Military Financing Program for Taiwan and other key allies and security partners in the Indo-Pacific confronting Chinese aggression.
• $1.9 billion to replenish defense articles and defense services provided to Taiwan and regional partners. 
• $542 million to strengthen U.S. military capabilities in the region.
• $133 million to enhance the production and development of artillery and critical munitions.
• Provides additional flexibility for Foreign Military Financing loans and loan guarantees.

TikTok Ban

The package also addresses the popular social media platform TikTok. It gives TikTok’s China-based parent company a nine-month window (which the president can extend to a year) to either sell the platform or face a ban in the U.S. 

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