Russian airstrike hits maternity hospital, as officials warn of fast-rising civilian toll
Washington PostDec 27, 2021
Congress Passes Govt. Funding Bill with 13.6B in Ukraine Aid
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Image copyright: Getty Images [via CNN]
The Facts
Following passage by the House, the US Senate has passed on a bipartisan basis (68-31) a $1.5T govt funding bill, which includes $13.6B in aid to Ukraine.
The aid to Ukraine includes money for humanitarian purposes, and defense and economic assistance.
The Spin
Republican narrative
In passing this bill, Democrats demonstrated just how far they've fallen into disarray. They couldn't get their unnecessary pandemic funding passed because of in-fighting.
Democratic narrative
Aid to the Ukrainians wasn't just approved quickly but with bipartisan support. The US government avoided a shutdown. The pandemic funds can pass in a separate bill. It's a win all-around for Democrats.
Establishment-critical narrative
This bill continues to bloat the Pentagon, which will see its budget rise to more than $782 billion -- 6% greater than last year and more than the next 11 largest militaries combined. Even the Ukrainian aid portion of the bill gives $3 billion to US forces for repositioning troops to NATO's "eastern flank."
