The U.S. Senate will hold a vote on President Joe Biden's billion-dollar aid request for Ukraine and Israel as early as Dec. 4, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said in a letter to senators Nov. 26.
"I intend to bring the President’s national security supplemental package to the floor as soon as the week of December 4th," Schumer said.
He also said the "biggest holdup" in passing the security assistance package was the Republican's party's demand that Ukraine funding be tied to U.S. border policy.
"This has injected a decades old, hyper-partisan issue into overwhelmingly bipartisan priorities," Schumer said in the letter.
Mike Turner, chairman of the U.S. House Intelligence Committee, said on Nov. 26 that conflict over border policy would likely prevent the aid bill from passing before the end of 2023.
Congressional Republicans are lobbying for enhanced restrictions at the U.S.-Mexico border, and have said they will only consider funding for Ukraine if the bill includes border security provisions.
Amid Republican stonewalling and congressional turmoil, Biden signed two emergency funding bills that included no aid for Ukraine.
Schumer's announcement sets a deadline for negotiations in the Senate.
"Negotiations between Democrats and Republicans have continued through the Thanksgiving holiday. We will need bipartisan cooperation and compromise to achieve a reasonable, realistic agreement that both sides can support," he said.
Biden's latest security assistance request earmarks over $61 billion in funding for Ukraine.
Anastasiia Malenko
(Updated: )
