Politico: US Senate may block $100 billion in aid to Ukraine and Israel

President Joe Biden’s $106 billion national security request is in big trouble on Capitol Hill, Politico reports.

Even before it hits the leaderless House, Senate GOP divisions are threatening to sink the proposal — or dramatically reshape it. Republicans are split over whether to link Israel and Ukraine aid, with many also pushing for big border policy changes and blanching at the price tag.

Even some GOP supporters of the efforts’ four priorities — Ukraine, Israel, Taiwan and the Southern border — are uncharacteristically pessimistic after the party’s first discussion about the legislation at the October 25 lunch.

Sending Ukraine more aid is still divisive in the GOP, and some Republicans want the Senate to consider aid to Israel on its own.

“They should be separated out,” Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) said Tuesday. “The Israel component has almost overwhelming support, and we can get there very quickly. I just think, tactically, it's just a better approach.”

On the other hand, Senate Armed Services ranking member Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) said he “absolutely” supports linking the two. He conceded the conference is “split” on the issue but predicted a “solid majority in the House and Senate” could support the concept.

“I want the whole package to go forward," Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) said. “Those are four national security issues, and we should deal with them as a unit.”

Still, the complexity of such a large piece of legislation could be its undoing. Humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip will be “problematic” for the GOP, said Senate Minority Whip John Thune (R-S.D.). And Republicans want border policy changes in addition to funding requests from the administration.