WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, issued a statement today following the Senate’s passage of the bipartisan supplemental funding package.

“The long-awaited passage of this support for our allies in Ukraine, Israel, and across the Indo-Pacific marks a significant victory in our shared efforts to combat tyranny, help Israel defend herself, and support the flow of humanitarian assistance globally. Be it the brave Ukrainians defending their nation against Russia’s invasion, our friends in Israel fighting Hamas terrorists, or our partners in the Indo-Pacific standing up to threats from the People’s Republic of China, this funding signifies our strong and ongoing commitment to our global allies and the values of trust and solidarity that define our nation’s role on the world stage.

“While the passage of this funding package is cause for celebration, we cannot forget the calamitous path that led us to this moment. The political entrenchment and partisan brinkmanship that characterized the debate over this legislation led to significant delays in delivering aid to our allies and a host of missed opportunities. We must also acknowledge that the failure to address the crisis at America’s southern border represents a failure of governance and a disservice to our national security. Now is the time for the House of Representatives to follow the Senate’s lead, and for all of us to reconsider the bipartisan immigration agreement that was reached to secure the border, create a more efficient processing system, and surge resources to where they’re desperately needed.”