U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) holds a press conference after the Senate passed a continuing resolution to avoid a shutdown of the federal government, in Washington, U.S., November 15, 2023.
Elizabeth Frantz | Reuters
Senators on Sunday voted to move forward with a $95 billion aid package to fund Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan, a positive sign that the long-awaited foreign aid could have the votes to pass after a weekend of slow-going negotiations.
“I can’t remember the last time the Senate was in session on Super Bowl Sunday, but as I’ve said all week long, we’re going to keep working on this bill until the job is done,” Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said Sunday on the Senate floor.
Sunday’s vote, which passed with 67 votes in favor, is one of the last procedural hurdles before a final vote, making it a good indicator that the $95 billion bill is headed for success after days of back-and-forth talks.
“I think we’re going to pass this spending bill for Ukraine. We’ve already moved past several procedural hurdles that require 60 votes. I think there will be 60 votes in the end,” Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., who has been a lead negotiator on the bill, said optimistically in a Sunday interview on CBS’ “Face the Nation.”
Since Wednesday, lawmakers have been working the tedious Senate process of spending hours in negotiations, followed by procedural votes and more negotiation. These proceedings will likely carry into next week before a final vote is held, which cuts into senators’ scheduled two-week recess before federal budget talks begin.
If voting had bled into the Super Bowl on Sunday, Schumer planned to arrange for televisions and pizza on Capitol Hill, according to his spokesperson.
The process could be accelerated if all 100 senators unanimously agree to speed up the timeframe, but Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., has been vocal about his intention to delay.
“I’m not gonna object to the amendments, but I’m going to object to condensing time,” Paul…
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