Senate advances $95B Ukraine, Israel aid bill with filibuster-proof majority after border deal fails

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The Senate overwhelmingly voted Thursday to start work on a $95 billion spending bill that would provide aid to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan — one day after it formally killed off a larger bill that included $20 billion in border security spending.

The 67-31 vote included “yeas” from 17 Republicans while Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) was the only “nay” from the Democratic conference.

A final vote on the legislation is not expected until next week as senators begin the lengthy process of negotiating which amendments will be voted on as part of the final package.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) called Thursday’s vote “a good first step.”

“Failure to pass this bill would only embolden autocrats like [Russian President Vladimir] Putin and [Chinese President] Xi [Jinping] who want nothing more than America’s decline,” the Brooklyn Democrat said from the chamber floor.