$40B Ukraine Aid Bill Flown To South Korea For Biden’s Signature

President Biden was quick to sign the $40 billion aid to Ukraine bill from South Korea Saturday.

President Biden, who is currently attending a state dinner with the South Korean president, has signed the massive $40 billion aid package to Ukraine. The bill was flown to Seoul after the Senate passed it in the hours after Biden departed Washington for his trip.

— Kaitlan Collins (@kaitlancollins) May 21, 2022

The bill was flown to the president on Friday with someone who was “already set to travel to the area as part of Biden’s Asia trip”, reported Fox News.

In a little over a week, the legislation passed through the House and Senate and was sent to Biden’s desk on Thursday.

 The bill passed through the House the same day it was introduced, with a quarter of Republicans voting against it in a 368 – 57 vote.

It was then delayed in the Senate for 9 days before being pushed to the president’s desk. Eleven Senate Republicans voted against it in an 86-11 vote.

??Biden signs bill providing $40 billion in aid for Ukraine.

U.S. President Joe Biden signed into law the “Additional Ukraine Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2022” on May 21. The package includes military, economic, and humanitarian aid for Ukraine.

— The Kyiv Independent (@KyivIndependent) May 21, 2022

Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul had requested that an inspector general be appointed to oversee the spending.

Other Republicans are in favor of the legislation, including Iowa Sen. Chuck Grassley, who said “at least 25 percent [will go] directly to the military in the United States, some to strengthen our forces in Europe. And then a good deal of it is humanitarian”.

The U.S. has already agreed to supply approximately $54 billion in military and humanitarian aid to Ukraine. 

Biden landed at the Osan Air Base, south of Seoul, on Friday evening. On Sunday, he will head to Japan to meet with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida.