OAN Staff Jenna Lee
11:25 AM – Friday, June 5, 2026
The House of Representatives has passed a multi-billion dollar military aid package for Ukraine that also imposes strict new sanctions on Russia in a 226-195 vote.
The measure now heads to the Senate, where it will face an uphill battle. The White House warned that the legislation would undermine President Donald Trump’s goal of ending the prolonged conflict, signaling that the president would inevitably veto the measure if it reaches his desk.
“The bill seeks to tie the President’s hands by mandating a wide-ranging U.S. response to the Russia-Ukraine war while adding hundreds of millions in unfunded authorizations,” the White House document read in part.
To reach the floor, the bill relied on a rare procedural tool called a discharge petition to entirely bypass GOP leadership. The petition had amassed most of the signatures it needed months ago but remained one name short until May 13th, when Representative Kevin Kiley (I-Calif.)—an independent who caucuses with Republicans—provided the decisive 218th signature.
Following a key procedural vote on Wednesday, 18 Republicans defected to join Democrats in propelling the measure to final passage on Thursday.
“Today’s bipartisan vote sends a strong message to Ukraine that we support them and a clear message to Putin that we stand against Russian tyranny,” said Representative Michael McCaul (R-Texas) in a statement.
The legislation authorizes over $1.3 billion in direct security and reconstruction aid while making up to $8 billion available through specialized military loans. It also includes dedicated funding for post-war reconstruction, reaffirms the U.S. commitment to NATO, and levels harsh secondary sanctions against Russia’s oil and gas sectors.
The vote comes as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky continues to plead for more support from the U.S. amid intensifying Russian attacks. Just last week, Zelensky sent a letter to Trump and Congress requesting more Patriot ballistic missile interceptors.
Although the aid package cleared the House, its odds of becoming law remain low. The measure will require a broad bipartisan coalition to overcome the 60-vote filibuster threshold in the Senate.
Even if it passes both chambers, Trump maintains veto power, which would require a two-thirds majority vote in both the House and Senate to override.
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