House passes Ukraine bill, $1 billion aid, $8 billion loans

The U.S. House of Representatives passed a major bill on Thursday to provide new military and financial assistance to Ukraine while imposing a broad set of sanctions on Russia, marking a significant legislative challenge to the current administration's approach to the war. The final vote was 226 in favor to 195 against.

The Ukraine Support Act authorizes more than $1 billion in security and reconstruction aid for Ukraine and makes available up to $8 billion in loans for Kyiv and other NATO allies to purchase U.S. military equipment. It extends the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative through 2027 and mandates a new sanctions framework targeting Russian financial institutions, the state nuclear energy corporation Rosatom, and the country's mineral extraction and oil industries.

The bill's passage followed a successful discharge petition, a procedural tool that forced the measure to the floor over the objections of Republican House leadership. Eighteen Republicans joined with Democrats to support the final legislation, while one Democrat voted against it. An independent lawmaker who caucuses with Republicans also supported the bill.

Republican leaders and the White House had...