Republican Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky has blocked quick passage of a critical $40 billion package needed to keep military and humanitarian aid flowing to Ukraine amid an escalating Russian onslaught in the Donbas region, CNN and other news outlets reported..
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell rarely agree on fast-tracking legislation through the Senate. But both agreed on Thursday to request unanimous consent in order to bypass procedural hurdles so the Ukraine aid package could quickly be approved.
The House had approved the aid package on Tuesday by a 368 to 57 vote.
But Paul objected and delayed passage of the bill until at least next week. Paul demanded changes to the legislation, asking for creation of a special inspector general to oversee how the aid to Ukraine is used.
Despite pressure from both Schumer and McConnel, Paul refused to back down. They offered to Paul’s changes introduced as an amendment to the act, but Paul insisted that it be included in the legislation itself.
CNN reported that Schumer will now have to take procedural steps which could put off passage of the aid package until sometime next week.
"The package is ready to go," Schumer said. "The vast majority of senators on both sides of the aisle want it. There's now only one thing holding us back the junior senator from Kentucky is preventing swift passage of Ukraine aid because he wants to add at the last minute his own changes directly into the bill. His change is strongly opposed by many members of both parties."
McConnell said: “Ukraine is not asking us to fight this war. They’re only asking for the resources they need to defend themselves against this deranged invasion. And they need this help right now.”
But Paul would not yield
"My oath of office is to the U.S. Constitution not to any foreign nation and no matter how sympathetic the cause, my oath of office is to the national security of the United States of America," Paul said in his remarks before objecting to moving to swift passage of the bill. "We cannot save Ukraine by dooming the US economy."
Schumer responded that "it's clear from the junior senator from Kentucky's remarks he doesn't want to aid Ukraine."
Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd J. Austin III warned Congress this week in a letter that the aid package needed to become law before May 19 “to provide uninterrupted critical military support to our Ukrainian partners,” The New York Times reported.
Some reaction: