Montana Senators Split Vote on Aid Bill
FEND Off Fentanyl Act included in bill that passed
By Denise Rivette
The Senate convened at 12:00 p.m. on February 12 and adjourned on February 13 at 7:16 a.m. After over 19 hours of deliberation the bill passed with a vote of 70-29 with Montana’s U.S. senators splitting their votes. Senator Jon Tester voted for the bill while Senator Steve Daines voted against. The bill includes $95.3 billion in military and humanitarian assistance to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan.
Most of the approved funding will go to the U.S. departments of Defense, Energy, and State as well as the U.S. Agency for International Development.
The Defense Department will receive $48.4 billion in assistance for Ukraine to replenish weapons and equipment sent to that country to aid in its fight against Russia’s invasion.
The U.S. military will also use the money to provide training, intelligence and support for Ukraine.
$8 million will go to the Defense Department Inspector General to provide oversight of how the U.S. assistance is being used.
An additional $10.6 billion will go to the U.S. Defense Department to aid Israel in its war against Hamas.
The U.S. Defense Department will get an additional $2.6 billion to bolster U.S. and allied capabilities in the Indo-Pacific and deter China.
The U.S. Energy Department will receive about $3 billion for the National Nuclear Security Administration to address issues in Ukraine and to support domestic uranium enrichment to bolster production of civil nuclear fuel and advanced nuclear fuel.
The U.S. State Department and USAID will receive $9.2 billion for humanitarian assistance that could go toward emergency food, shelter, and basic services to populations suffering the impacts of a confluence of complex and protracted crises.
An additional $7.6 billion will be provided for economic assistance in Ukraine as well as other countries that have been harmed by Russia’s war in that country.
The U.S. State Department will get another $3.5 billion for foreign military financing for Israel to help that country “reestablish territorial security and deterrence.”
The Inspector General for the U.S. State Department and USAID will get $25 million to oversee use of the emergency funding in the bill.
The package also includes the Fentanyl Eradication and Narcotics Deterrence or FEND Off Fentanyl Act, a bipartisan bill [co-sponsored by Sen. Steve Daines and Jon Tester] that will allow the U.S. government “to apply economic and other financial sanctions to those who engage in the international trafficking of fentanyl, fentanyl precursors, or other related opioids to protect the national security, foreign policy, and economy of the United States.”
A summary of the legislation can be found HERE.
U.S. Senator Steve Daines released the following statement today on why he voted against the bill:
“Our southern border is a crisis of the Biden administration’s own making. President Biden made it worse on Day One of his presidency by reversing President Trump’s policies that helped make it secure. The results speak for themselves with illegals who are on the FBI’s terror watch list and from countries designated as state sponsors of terror streaming across and overwhelming our border patrol agents.
“While I support providing lethal aid for Israel, Taiwan and Ukraine, I voted against the emergency supplemental spending bill today because securing our southern border should be our highest priority.”
U.S. Senator Jon Tester today issued the following statement on his vote to advance the national security package:
“My top priority is protecting Montana and our nation, full stop. That’s why I voted with Republicans and Democrats to advance a targeted national security package that invests in our ability to stay ahead of the threat from China, stands up to Russia and Iran, strengthens America’s weapons supply, and provides humanitarian assistance to civilians in need. I’m disappointed my colleagues refused to tighten asylum laws and secure the southern border as part of this package, but this bipartisan bill will bolster our national security and help ensure our men and women in uniform have the tools they need to keep America the greatest country in the world.”
Last week Tester voted for the bill when it provided the foreign aid passed today as well as measures to secure the southern border, but the collection of bipartisan border security measures was the reason used by many Republicans, including Daines, to vote against the original bill.
As the Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense, Tester is responsible for crafting the annual Defense Appropriations bill and determining funding for the Department of Defense (DOD).
Both senators are working hard to represent Montanans. You can let them know your thoughts by contacting Senator Daines HERE and Senator Tester HERE.