Summary

The Biden administration has moved to forgive $4.7 billion in U.S. loans to Ukraine as part of a $9.4 billion loan package authorized by Congress in April to support Ukraine’s government during its war with Russia.

State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller confirmed the decision, which Congress could still block.

The Senate is set to vote on a disapproval motion introduced by Senator Rand Paul, though bipartisan support for Ukraine remains strong.

President Biden is expediting aid ahead of his term’s end, amid concerns President-elect Trump may restrict future support.

  • Skiluros@sh.itjust.works
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    2 days ago

    The Senate is due to vote later on Wednesday on a motion of disapproval of loan forgiveness for Ukraine put forward by Republican Senator Rand Paul, a frequent critic of U.S. support for Ukraine.

    Rand Paul? Is this the fellow who advocated for taking horse medication against COVID?

    • Batman@lemmy.world
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      1 day ago

      Lol when this started I was a fine candidate for forgiveness. Now my income has increased and they lowered the bar so I’m disqualified. Really glad I’m on this side but it will be 5 years before I can pay off what would have been forgiven. The ceiling is a joke anywhere that isn’t a rural environment.

      • Eugene V. Debs' Ghost@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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        1 day ago

        Means testing is just a poverty trap. My family personally earned a bit more money and the state of California now said “Cool, you no longer qualify for free health insurance, you gotta pay.”

        And while it’s not a lot, its a few dollars a month, it has less options. Not even medical transportation in the rural area we live in.

  • FlashMobOfOne@lemmy.world
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    2 days ago

    Infuriating.

    US borrowers can’t get their loans forgiven, but Biden’s going to be Ukraine’s personal Santa Claus for the next month and half, even though we’ve already allocated hundreds of billions to their war.

      • chilicheeselies@lemmy.world
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        2 days ago

        Dude this just isnt the way. Whether you like it or not a lot of people feel this way, and it permeates a lot of things. “Im suffering so why am i last?”. I agree that these are two different issues but lets stop calling people stupid for not understanding.

        • Tyfud@lemmy.world
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          2 days ago

          That was a fine approach the first time around. But after almost a decade of GOP fuckery and apologists trying to blur the lines between the two parties, I’m with the guy calling out how fucking stupid it is to not call that jackass out for being a fucking idiot for trying to hide the fact that the GOP, and only the GOP, blocked all of the student debt relief that Biden tried to get through.

          The time for games is over.

          Adults are adults and responsible for their choices. Anyone that voted Trump or supports the GOP are traitors to democracy, and should not be handled with kid gloves anymore.

        • AA5B@lemmy.world
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          1 day ago

          I kind of agree with calling people stupid. So much of the reasons people give for disliking what Biden has accomplished are straight up lack of awareness or misinformation. If someone makes a choice without awareness, possibly intentionally unaware, or is unable to break out of a misinformation rut, what do you call it?

          I really don’t think most Republicans are as malicious, spiteful, racist, or corrupt as the high profile Republican leaders, nor that they intentionally vote for that: they’re just being stupid

          The last few years of fact checking, reality checking, reasoned debate has gone nowhere. What do you call it when someone refuses to look outside their preexisting beliefs, regardless of how much proof? Maybe calling them in it will get their attention. Maybe stooping to their level is the only thing that will

    • sensiblepuffin@lemmy.world
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      2 days ago

      Biden’s forgiven the loans that he has the power to forgive. Judges and the House have blocked most of his loan forgiveness moves.

      If we can allocate billions of dollars to Israel, we can certainly forgive some of Ukraine’s loans.

  • Eugene V. Debs' Ghost@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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    1 day ago

    Does anyone know why Biden has the authority to do this? It seems more up to Congress to decide if a debt is forgiven overnight. “Pen and the Purse” is what my social studies said every class.