In a rare weekend session, Democrats and Republicans worked together to approve $95 billion in foreign assistance for Ukraine, Israel, and other U.S. allies. This comes after months of hard-right rejection over increased American backing for opposing Russia’s incursion.
Measures to limit access to the popular app TikTok and aid to Israel and other allies were passed with solid majorities, thanks to the formation of distinct alliances to advance each of these measures. The next stop is the Senate, where a vote on the whole package may be taken as early as Tuesday. Joe Biden, the president, has committed to signing it right now.
As legislators in the United States scramble to provide a new influx of financial help to the war-torn ally, the $61 billion in aid for Ukraine was swiftly approved Saturday by a resounding vote. Protesting and waving Ukrainian flags—blue and yellow—many Democrats celebrated on the House floor. This has drawn criticism from Republicans and Democrats alike.
While some lawmakers were vehemently opposed to the package, others took issue with the Democrats handing around Ukrainian flags to wave as the voting timer ran out—a move that ultimately resulted in a 311–112 vote.
Representative Marc Molinaro (R-N.Y.), who oversaw the vote and deemed the display “inappropriate,” said that the action violated House rules.
Though Democrats on the floor booed Molinaro, Republican Florida Representative Anna Paulina Luna stepped up to the microphone and urged her colleagues to put those “d— flags” away.
Subsequently, Luna would use social media to reiterate a similar point, stating that it was a disgrace to display any flag other than the American flag in the House Chamber.
More Republican legislators took to social media to condemn the flag-waving. One of them, Rep. Andy Biggs of Arizona, said that the House members’ actions demonstrated that they care more about Ukraine “than you.”
Nicole Shanahan, the running mate of independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., also disapproved of the display.
