Senate voting on foreign aid package after falling short on border deal

Washington — The Senate is taking a procedural vote Thursday on a foreign aid package that brought the chamber to a standstill Wednesday night, as Republicans, fresh off of opposing a bipartisan plan to address border security, squabbled over how to move forward.

The supplemental funding package would provide tens of billions of dollars in aid to U.S. allies, including Ukraine and Israel. Its consideration comes months after the White House initially made the supplemental funding request. At the time, Republicans insisted that the foreign aid package must be tied to enhanced border security measures. But after former President Donald Trump came out against the border security agreement reached by Senate negotiators, the party fell in line. 

Still, part of the impasse Wednesday night, as the chamber was set to vote on the motion to move forward with the foreign aid bill, appeared to be that some Senate Republicans wanted an opportunity to add border security provisions back into the legislation with amendments, among other desired adjustments to the legislation.