WASHINGTON ― President Joe Biden on Wednesday signed a $95 billion foreign aid package that sends military assistance to Ukraine and Israel as well as humanitarian relief for Palestinians in Gaza after months of delay caused by former President Donald Trump and his House allies.
“It’s a good day for America, it’s a good day for Europe, and it’s a good day for world peace,” Biden told reporters gathered at the White House, adding that he had just signed the bill, which cleared the House on Saturday and the Senate on Tuesday night. “History will remember this moment.”
He thanked both Democratic and Republican congressional leaders by name for getting the bill through, even though it took seven months. He cited reports of Ukrainian soldiers on the front lines of the battle against the Russians cheering as news of the House vote came in.
“I’m making sure the shipments start right away,” Biden said in the morning announcement. “In the next few hours, literally few hours, we’re going to begin sending equipment to Ukraine for air defense munitions, for artillery, for rocket systems, and for armored vehicles.”
Biden said a failure to continue support for Ukraine would have let Russia occupy the country and then move on to a NATO ally, which would have required the United States to get involved under the alliance’s charter. He said the new legislation stands up to Russian dictator Vladimir Putin without involving American troops.
“We bow to no one. Certainly not to Vladimir Putin,” he said. “America must stand up for what is right. We don’t walk away from our allies; we stand with them. We don’t let tyrants win; we oppose them. We don’t merely watch world events unfold; we shape them. That’s what it means to be the indispensable nation. That’s what it means to be the world’s superpower and the world’s leading democracy.”
Biden said he also stands by his promise to help Israel defend itself against attacks from both Hamas and Hezbollah as well as from Iran directly, and that the new bill will replenish Israel’s air and missile defense stockpiles ― while also letting the United States “surge” food, water and medical supplies to Palestinians getting hurt by Israel’s continuing war in Gaza against Hamas.
“At the same time, this bill significantly, significantly, increases humanitarian assistance we’re sending to the innocent people of Gaza, who are suffering badly,” he said. “And Israel must make sure all of this aid reaches the Palestinians in Gaza without delay.”
The legislation lacks any money to increase security at the southern border with Mexico after Trump told Republican members of Congress that such measures would help Biden win reelection and should therefore be stopped.
“It should have been included in this bill,” Biden said.
The bill, however, does force the Chinese company that owns TikTok to sell it to an American firm or be banned in the U.S.
In a statement, TikTok said it would fight that requirement: “This unconstitutional law is a TikTok ban, and we will challenge it in court. We believe the facts and the law are clearly on our side, and we will ultimately prevail.”
HuffPost reporter Marita Vlachou contributed reporting.