WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Senator Thom Tillis voted in favor of the supplemental package to provide funding for Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan, which passed the Senate in a 70-29 vote this morning. Yesterday, Senator Tillis spoke on the Senate floor about the importance of provide funding to combat adversaries and support our allies.
Watch Senator Tillis’ remarks HERE and download HERE.
“Two years ago when Russia attacked Ukraine, the world thought that Russia was going to have air superiority within a couple of days and control all of Ukraine within a couple of weeks. But Ukraine has defied expectations because the Western world, NATO allies in 25 countries, have come together and made it very clear that Putin's desire to reestablish the Russian Empire is inconsistent with a democratic world order. Putin is losing. This is not a stalemate. A ten-to-one kill differential between Ukrainians and Russians is indisputable. The platforms that he’s leaving on the battlefield are indisputable. The fact that we need to modernize and build up our industrial base is indisputable. Vladimir Putin has brought that to our attention.
“China is also watching. I’m less concerned about Vladimir Putin than I am about China and our retreat from leading the Western world. We’re an exceptional nation and we are the beacon of hope for democracy. When we step away, who fills the void? You’d be hard-pressed to find any nation that has the scale and the ability to do it but the United States, with all due respect to my friends in NATO. China is watching. Why am I so focused on this vote? Because I don’t want to be on the pages of history that we will regret.
“If we walk away, you will see the alliance that is supporting Ukraine crumble. You will ultimately see China become emboldened. And I am not going to be on that page of history. I believe that we have to vote today. And we have to respect some of the priorities, maybe the concerns of the House, as they move this through. But let’s let this chamber be the chamber that stands with the free world. That’s what we can do today. That’s what we must do today.”
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