Blumenthal on House foreign aid bill: ‘America is back on offense’

Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) on Sunday applauded the House’s bipartisan approval of foreign aid to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan, arguing the vote “sends a message” to the world.

“So, we’re building and this measure, strongly bipartisan, I think sends a message to the world,” Blumenthal said during an interview on “Fox News Sunday.” “The foreign minister of Lithuania yesterday, said, ‘Good to have you back, America.'”

“I think America is back on offense and this sign that we can come together in a bipartisan way for our national security and send a message to Vladimir Putin, to Xi, to the dictators of the world…too soon to be popping your champagne corks, America is going to defend democracy,” he continued.

Blumenthal was responding to the House’s weekend passage of a massive foreign aid bill, which followed months of stalemate and division among lawmakers.

The package — passed in four separate votes — includes about $61 billion for Ukraine, $26 billion for Israel and global humanitarian aid, $8 billion for allies in the Indo-Pacific and a package of other national security measures, including a potential ban on the TikTok app.

The package now goes to the Senate, which is expected to pass it in the middle of the week.

In commending the House vote, Blumenthal touted America’s defense and support of its allies.

“We’re [America’s] the strongest, greatest country in the history of the world. We can produce the kind of artillery shells, the long-range artillery, the attack guns that are necessary,” Blumenthal said, adding later, “And we also can enforce sanctions and seize and sell Russian assets to provide more resources to Ukraine.”

This story was updated at 5:58 p.m. on April 22.