Senate PASSES bill to send $40billion in aid to Ukraine: 11 Republicans vote against legislation now heading to Biden's desk

•  The measure brings the total U.S. funding of the conflict to $54 million in two months
• The bill passed 86-11 but a handful of Republican objectors complained that there were more pressing problems at home to tend to and
• They also said the funding did not have adequate oversight 
• Biden is expected to quickly sign the bill, as he and Ukraine sounded the alarm that the nation would run out of aid by Thursday if Congress did not act 

In a largely bipartisan vote the Senate passed a bill Thursday to provide $40 billion more in aid to Ukraine as the war with Russia stretches on into its fourth month. 

The measure brings the total U.S. funding of the conflict to $54 million in two months. 

The bill passed 86-11, where a handful of Republican objectors complained that there were more pressing problems at home to tend to and the funding did not have adequate oversight. 

President Biden is expected to quickly sign the bill, as he and Ukrainian leaders sounded the alarms that the nation would run out of aid by Thursday if Congress did not act.

'I applaud the Congress for sending a clear bipartisan message to the world that the people of the United States stand together with the brave people of Ukraine as they defend their democracy and freedom,' Biden said in a statement on the bill. 'The resources that I requested will allow us to send even more weapons and ammunition to Ukraine, replenish our own stockpile, and support U.S. troops stationed on NATO territory.' 

The president also announced that he will bring forth another package of security assistance in the form of artillery, radars and other equipment. 

Sen. Rand Paul had defied leaders of both parties and prevented the Senate from quick passage of the bill last week. 

Paul had demanded new language be inserted into the bill that would have an inspector general scrutinize the new spending. 

Then-White House press secretary Jen Psaki criticized Paul's move and said the bill 'already includes millions of dollars to support additional oversight measures, including additional funding for existing inspectors general.' 

Other deflectors to Thursday's vote included Sens. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., John Boozman, R-Ark., Mike Braun, R-Ind., Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, Bill Hagerty, R-Tenn., Josh Hawley, R-Mo., Mike Lee, R-Utah, Cynthia Lummis, R-Wyo., Roger Marshall, R-Kan., and Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala. 

Sen. Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., who visited with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky over the weekend, pushed for Republicans to vote for the bill, while predicting it would easily pass. 

'It's going to be a bipartisan landslide,' McConnell said Thursday ahead of the vote. 'Anyone concerned about the cost of supporting a Ukrainian victory should consider the much larger costs should Ukraine lose.' 

After the vote, Paul said that he didn't believe Americans would have supported the aid if they had known what it cost them. 

'Those senators who voted to gift $40 billion to Ukraine argue that it is in our national security interest,' Paul said on the Senate floor after the vote. 'I wonder if Americans across our country would agree if they had been shown the costs, if they had been asked to pay for it.'

Paul added: 'By my calculation, each income taxpayer in our country would need to pay $500 to support this $40 billion, which by some accounts is a down payment and will need to be replenished in about four months.'