Senate gets deal for quick vote on funding, Ukraine aid
By Jordain Carney and Aris Folley - 03/10/22 08:28 PM EST
The Senate has locked in a deal to quickly pass a massive government funding bill that includes $13.6 billion in Ukraine aid.
The agreement, announced by Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.), puts the funding bill on a glide path to pass on Thursday night, capping off hours of would-they-won’t-they drama.
The Senate’s passage will come less than two days after the House unveiled the $1.5 trillion government funding bill that also includes the Ukraine money. The Senate will also need to pass a days-long continuing resolution (CR) to help buy time to get the mammoth bill to President Biden but hasn’t yet locked in an agreement to have that vote.
Schumer’s announcement is a U-turn from earlier Thursday evening when the mammoth bill appeared to have hit a last-minute snag.
Senators and aides say the holdup was coming from Sen. Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska) and was tied to an unspecified concern with the reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), which is included in the funding bill.
“There had been some very last-minute edits that he had wanted to try to include,” said Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) about Sullivan’s concern with the VAWA language.
“I think we’re working on a path. ... There are other things you can do later,” Murkowski said.
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https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/597792-senate-gets-deal-for-quick-vote-on-funding-ukraine-aid
