Senate approves $12.3B to Ukraine under short-term bill

The United States Senate approved on Thursday another $12.3 billion in emergency military funding to help Ukraine, as the majority of the Senate voted in favor of enacting the bill intended to support federal government operations through mid-December.

The legislation now awaits approval of the House of Representatives, allowing the Senate to avoid a “partial government shutdown” as the current fiscal year ends at midnight on Friday. “I’m glad we came to a timely conclusion and didn’t go right up to the brink and risk a shutdown,” Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said.

In addition, the short-term spending bill will also allocate $1 billion in heating assistance for low-income families and $20 million for the water crisis in Jackson, Mississippi.