Group of GOP senators unveil bill to split Israel aid from Ukraine 

A group of Republican senators led by Sen. Roger Marshall (Kan.) has introduced legislation to provide $14.3 billion in aid to Israel, splitting it off from President Biden’s $100 billion request that also includes funding for Ukraine, Taiwan and other issues.

The key for Marshall and others is to split the money for Israel from the money for Ukraine, which is emerging as an increasingly divisive issue within the GOP.

“My colleagues and I firmly believe that any aid to Israel should not be used as leverage to send tens of billions of dollars to Ukraine,” Marshall told The Wall Street Journal, which first reported on the legislation.  

The other Republican sponsors of the legislation are Sens. JD Vance (Ohio), Mike Lee (Utah) and Ted Cruz (Texas).  

The legislation would provide $10.6 billion in military assistance to Israel through the Defense Department, according to The Journal.  

Senate Republicans battled over strategy for funding Israel and Ukraine at a lunch meeting Wednesday.  

Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (Ky.) has urged his colleagues to keep military funding for Israel and Ukraine tied together, arguing they are part of a larger global threat facing U.S. national security interests.