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Entertainment - Carroll Broadcasting Inc.

Snap Stills/REX/ShutterstockJennifer Garner, Mark Ruffalo and Judy Greer are celebrating 20 years of 13 Going on 30.On Tuesday, the stars of the beloved film reunited virtually to talk about the film and walk down memory lane."Twenty years," Garner wrote in the caption of the video, which was shared in a joint Instagram post. "We are three Boomers braving zoom— because we want to thank you."In fact, the title of the Zoom read 13 Going on Boomer."To every person who has loved this movie along with us: Thank You," she added. "We see you, we appreciate you and we love you back. Forever thirty, flirty and thriving!"The actors talked about several things in the video, from certain scenes — including the part in the film where they all dance to Michael Jackson's "Thriller" — to the reaction over the years from fans who have shared their love for the film.For fans who know the significance of Razzles in the film, the stars also pretend to "cheers" the candy in their hand.At one point in the video, Greer is shocked to learn that actress Brie Larson was in the movie."She was a six chick!" Garner tells her.13 Going on 30 premiered on April 23, 2004.The film followed Garner's character, Jenna Rink, who, after being bullied, wishes on her 13th birthday that she was 30 years old. Her wish comes true when she wakes up in the body of her 30-year-old self. Ruffalo played Jenna Rink's best friend, Matt Flamhaff, and Greer played Lucy Wyman.Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Judy-greer , Lucy-wyman , Brie-larson , Mark-ruffalo , Jennifer-garner , Matt-flamhaff , Instagram , Thank-you , Michael-jackson , Jenna-rink , Country- , Ichigan

Country Music News - Carroll Broadcasting Inc.

Kellie Pickler made her first public performance since her husband Kyle Jacobs' February 2023 passing at Monday's Walkin' After Midnight: The Music of Patsy Cline tribute show. Held at Nashville's Ryman Auditorium, the event featured a star-studded lineup that included Wynonna Judd, Ashley McBryde, Hailey Whitters and Mickey Guyton. Kellie performed her autobiographical, Patsy Cline-influenced "The Woman I Am," which she co-wrote with Kyle. You can read more about the American Idol alum's performance and watch a video of it at etonline.com.Josh Turner has renewed his recording contract with his longtime label home, MCA Nashville. "Josh Turner has one of the most identifiable voices in country music. His music has touched generations of fans with his rich, deep voice paired with his deep connection to country music, family, faith and his fans," shares UMG Nashville chair and CEO Cindy Mabe. Josh's new song, "Heatin' Things Up," arrives Friday, April 26.A new Johnny Cash album, Songwriter, is dropping June 28. The project will showcase Johnny's songwriting prowess as the sole songwriter of all 11 tracks. Songwriter is available for preorder and presave now. While you wait, check out its first preview track, "Well Alright."

Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

United-states , American , Mickey-guyton , Cindy-mabe , Patsy-cline , Ashley-mcbryde , Josh-turner , Wynonna-judd , Hailey-whitters , Johnny-cash , Kellie-pickler ,

Politics - Carroll Broadcasting Inc.

Pavlo Gonchar/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images(WASHINGTON) -- The Federal Trade Commission narrowly voted on Tuesday to ban noncompete agreements in a move that could affect up to 30 million Americans -- one out of every five workers -- in jobs ranging from executives to minimum wage earners.While the ban was celebrated by labor unions, pro-business groups have staunchly opposed it and threatened legal action.Noncompete agreements are clauses in employment contracts that bar an employee from working at a rival company, usually within a certain geographic area or for a certain amount of time.FTC Chair Lina Khan said in a statement after Tuesday's vote that the noncompete ban, first proposed last year, would "ensure Americans have the freedom to pursue a new job, start a new business, or bring a new idea to market.""Noncompete clauses keep wages low, suppress new ideas, and rob the American economy of dynamism, including from the more than 8,500 new startups that would be created a year once noncompetes are banned," Khan said.The FTC rule would take effect in 120 days. But that timeline will likely be delayed by a high-stakes legal battle. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce told ABC News it plans to sue the FTC within the next day."The Federal Trade Commission's decision to ban employer noncompete agreements across the economy is not only unlawful but also a blatant power grab that will undermine American businesses' ability to remain competitive," the chamber's CEO, Suzanne Clark, said in a statement.But the AFL-CIO, the country's largest union organization, in a statement lauded the FTC's "strong" ban and said "[n]oncompete agreements trap workers from finding better jobs, drive down wages, and stifle competition."The FTC said the ban, should it survive court scrutiny, would apply to all workers entering into new employment agreements as they accept new jobs.For workers with existing agreements, noncompetes would no longer be enforceable, so companies could no longer stop their employees from taking jobs with competitors.One exception is carved out for "senior executives" with existing noncompetes who earn more than $151,164 per year, which is fewer than 1% of workers, according to the FTC.The FTC says it expects the ban would increase workers' combined wages by up to $488 billion over the next decade, with the average worker's earnings rising an estimated $524 per year.Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Washington , District-of-columbia , United-states , American , Americans , Suzanne-clark , Lina-khan , Us-chamber , Federal-trade-commission , Country- , Ichigan

National - Carroll Broadcasting Inc.

Brendan McDermid-Pool/Getty Images(NEW YORK) -- The U.S. Secret Service held meetings and started planning for what to do if former President Donald Trump were to be held in contempt in his criminal hush money trial and Judge Juan Merchan opted to send him to short-term confinement, officials familiar with the situation told ABC News.Merchan on Tuesday reserved decision on the matter after a contentious hearing. Prosecutors said at this point they are seeking a fine.“We are not yet seeking an incarceratory penalty," assistant district attorney Chris Conroy said, "But the defendant seems to be angling for that."Officials do not necessarily believe Merchan would put Trump in a holding cell in the courthouse but they are planning for contingencies, the officials said.There have not been discussions yet about what to do if Trump is convicted and sentenced to prison.The former president is on trial on felony charges of falsifying business records to hide the reimbursement of a hush money payment his then-attorney Michael Cohen made to adult film actress Stormy Daniels ahead of the 2016 presidential election.The Secret Service declined to comment on specific plans in the matter."Under federal law, the United States Secret Service must provide protection for current government leaders, former Presidents and First Ladies, visiting heads of state and other individuals designated by the President of the United States," the agency said in a statement. "For all settings around the world, we study locations and develop comprehensive and layered protective models that incorporate state of the art technology, protective intelligence and advanced security tactics to safeguard our protectees. Beyond that, we do not comment on specific protective operations."Prosecutors argued that Trump violated the limited gag order -- which prohibits statements about witnesses, jurors, and lawyers in the case other than Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg -- on at least 10 separate occasions this month.Trump's lawyers said prosecutors have not proven that posts Trump made on social media criticizing Cohen and Daniels were willful violations of the gag order, telling Merchan that the former president was defending himself from attacks by the likely witnesses.Defense lawyers also argued that the gag order is vague and allows Trump to make "political" statements.Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Manhattan , New-york , United-states , Alvin-bragg , Stormy-daniels , Donald-trump , Chris-conroy , Brendan-mcdermid , Michael-cohen , Us-secret-service , United-states-secret-service , President-donald-trump

Entertainment - Carroll Broadcasting Inc.

20th Century StudiosIn a stunning gag that 20th Century Studios head Steve Asbell rightly predicts "will open up an entirely new front on the CGI vs. practical effects twitter debate," the studio set loose real-life ape costumers atop equally real horses on California's famous Venice Beach on Tuesday. These weren't just dudes in monkey suits: The costumes were perfect replicas of the figures seen in the forthcoming film, and Matt Reeves' Caesar trilogy before them — though those used visual effects to bring them to life.Videos shot by passersby of the promotional stunt quickly made it online and were reposted by Absell.The footage shows not just the commitment made by makeup and costuming professionals in bringing the apes from the movies to reality, but by the actors inhabiting the characters: they look deadly serious as they patrol their stunned human subjects. Set generations after Reeves' blockbuster trilogy, Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes takes place in a time when "apes are the dominant species living harmoniously and humans have been reduced to living in the shadows," according to the studio. The movie opens in theaters May 10.Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

California , United-states , Venice-beach , Matt-reeve-caesar , Steve-asbell , Century-studios , Country- , Ichigan , Adio , Awas- , Kjc

Country Music News - Carroll Broadcasting Inc.

ABC/Connie ChornukElle King will release a new track, "Baby Daddy’s Weekend," on Friday.Of the forthcoming song, Elle tells the press, "I’ve been lucky enough to have lived, loved, and partied with the best of them. I’ve written songs for every era of my good times. My new song is for the people who deserve a good summer.""It’s for people who need a break from their kids but miss them when they aren’t around. It’s for the people working two jobs, the people who never get to put themselves first!" she says of the track, which she co-wrote with Pillbox Patti. "It’s a song for all the people who make this world go round. Life isn’t always fun and games, but when it is, it’s my Baby Daddy’s Weekend.""Baby Daddy's Weekend" will follow Elle's latest album, Come Get Your Wife, which dropped in January 2023. The 13-track record spawned the chart-topping, Miranda Lambert-assisted single, "Drunk (And I Don't Wanna Go Home).""Baby Daddy's Weekend" is available for presave now.Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Elle-king , Connie-chornuk , Baby-daddy , Come-get-your-wife , Miranda-lambert-assisted , Country- , Ichigan , Adio , Awas- , Kjc , 04-7

Politics - Carroll Broadcasting Inc.

President Joe Biden delivers remarks to commemorate Earth Day at Prince William Forest Park in Triangle, Va., April 22, 2024. (Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP via Getty Images)(WASHINGTON) -- President Joe Biden on Tuesday called out rival Donald Trump by name, blaming the former president in a high-profile speech in Florida for the spread of abortion bans since the end of Roe v. Wade as he encouraged women voters to back him in November -- and rebuke those he called opponents of reproductive freedom."Let's be real clear: There's one person responsible for this nightmare, and he's acknowledged and he brags about it: Donald Trump," Biden said in a speech from Hillsborough Community College outside Tampa, speaking one week before the state's six-week ban, with narrow exceptions, goes into effect.It was Trump, Biden argued, who had "ripped away" women's freedom around the country by naming three justices to the U.S. Supreme Court who ruled against Roe. But it was women who hold the political power to push back, Biden said."When you do that, it will teach Donald Trump and the extreme MAGA Republicans a valuable lesson: Don't mess with the women of America," he said.Biden's appearance, which spurred jeers for Trump and cheers for his defense of abortion access, was the latest high-profile effort by his campaign to spotlight the issue as the general election fight gears up.Ahead of the event, aides had said Biden's remarks would tie access to contraception, to in vitro fertilization and to abortion to the results of the looming 2024 election, painting a picture of what's at stake this cycle.In his speech, the president invoked women forced to travel far from home for needed abortions or who have been unable to get emergency care under their states' restrictions.He slammed Trump's position celebrating the U.S. Supreme Court decision overruling Roe in 2022 and returning the issue to the local level.Since then, 21 states have enacted restrictions or bans on abortion.Sarcastically quoting a previous Trump comment -- "the states are working very brilliantly, in some cases conservative, in some cases not conservative, but they're working" -- Biden said on Tuesday, "It's a six-week ban in Florida, it's really brilliant, isn't it? Even before women know they're pregnant, is that brilliant?"Biden also tied Trump to a recent Arizona Supreme Court ruling reviving a strict, Civil War-era ban on nearly all abortions in the state, which could go into effect as soon as June.Trump has said that ban goes too far and should be undone but Biden insisted in his remarks that "Trump is literally taking us back 160 years."Abortion is not a state issue, Biden said. He was backed by a "Restore Roe" sign as he repeated a frequent promise that if enough Democratic lawmakers are elected and he stays in the White House, he will push to codify Roe's protections through Congress."He's [Trump is] wrong, the Supreme Court is was wrong. It should be a constitutional right in the federal Constitution, a federal right, and it shouldn't matter where in America you live," Biden said. "This isn't about states' rights, this is about women's rights."The Biden campaign has increasingly attacked Trump over the issue of abortion, including his new stance that it should remain with local officials and voters.Trump has stressed his support for three key exceptions of rape, incest and the pregnant woman's life and also says that he will not sign a national abortion ban if elected, reversing an earlier promise."We gave it back to the states .... And it's working the way it's supposed to," he said earlier this month.Biden assailed that position in his Tuesday speech, contending that Trump is "worried that voters will hold him accountable" for the "cruelty and chaos" of state-level restrictions."The bad news for Trump is we are going to hold him accountable," Biden said.He also said voters should not believe Trump's rhetoric on abortion now, given his history: "How many times does he have to prove [he] can't be trusted?""He describes the Dobbs decision [overruling Roe] as a miracle," Biden went on to say."Maybe it's coming from that Bible he's trying to sell," Biden added, referring to a recent piece of Trump merchandise. "Whoa, I almost wanted to buy one just to see what the hell's in it."Voters speakJune Johns, a registered Democrat in St. Petersburg, Florida, told ABC News she's concerned about women's reproductive rights in the country."I don't see how you can be pro-life and not be concerned about what's happening to women," Johns said. "Also, I'm here because I think Joe Biden is one of our best chances to preserve our democracy."Another Democrat, Mary Hanrahan from Gulfport, Florida, applauded Biden for coming to the state ahead of the six-week abortion ban going into effect next week. Hanrahan singled out a ballot measure to expand abortion access that abortion advocates in Florida successfully added to the November ballot."I think we need everybody in Florida to vote yes on Amendment Four and get rid of the six-week abortion ban," Hanrahan said. "I think it's a bad idea. I think that people need to be in charge of their own bodies."Abortion 'will decide this election,' Dems sayDemocrats have seized on the issue of abortion access, seeing success in both battleground and red states when it's on the ballot since 2022 -- which Biden's campaign noted this week in previewing his trip on Tuesday."Abortion bans are now a voting issue in battleground states across the country. That will decide this election," said Jen Cox, a Biden campaign adviser in Arizona.Biden campaign spokesman Michael Tyler joined Cox on a call with reporters ahead of Biden's trip to Florida and said that "whenever abortion rights have been on the ballot, they've won.""In November, Florida will have a referendum on the ballot and Arizona and Nevada are likely to as well," Tyler said then. "The last time there was an abortion referendum on the ballot in 2012, President [Barack] Obama won the state. So, with our enormous financial advantage, the Biden-Harris campaign can afford to invest in many paths to victory and that includes Florida."As proposed abortion initiatives to expand or protect access are set to appear on several state ballots this November, including in Arizona, Florida and Nevada, the Biden campaign has emphasized what they see as the threat Republicans pose to allowing abortions. Democrats believe the issue is galvanizing to their base and crucial swing voters.Tuesday's remarks from Biden in Florida were also notable, however, given his complicated relationship with the issue of abortion because of his personal faith as a devout Catholic."I'm not big on abortion," he acknowledged last year. "But guess what? Roe v. Wade got it right. Roe v. Wade [generally allowing abortions through the second trimester] cut in a place where the vast majority of religions have reached agreement."Other Democrats have urged Biden to be more full-throated.During an interview in January on CBS' "Face The Nation," when asked if Biden needs to talk about abortion more, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said, "I think it would be good if he did."Instead, the president has leaned heavily on Vice President Kamala Harris to be the campaign's primary messenger.She launched a "Reproductive Freedom Tour" in January and quickly traveled to Arizona this month after the state's Supreme Court ruling upholding the 160-year-old, near-total abortion ban.Biden's trip to Florida on Tuesday also underscores Democrats' tentative optimism that they could retake the state this November after being defeated in 2020 and 2016 -- at the same time that Republicans have seen a slew of notable wins there, including the rise of Gov. Ron DeSantis.Republicans who spoke with ABC News have played down Democratic zeal, pointing to the many local races the GOP has been w

Michigan , United-states , Hillsborough-community-college , Florida , Washington , White-house , District-of-columbia , Arizona , Petersburg , Sankt-peterburg , Russia , Gulfport

Entertainment - Carroll Broadcasting Inc.

Amazon MGM StudiosThe trailer for Zoë Kravitz's directorial debut, Blink Twice, has arrived.The coming attraction opens with Kravitz's fiancé, Channing Tatum, who plays tech billionaire Slater King.He meets cocktail waitress Frida, played by Naomi Ackie, at what appears to be a fundraising gala, and invites her to join him and his friends on a dream vacation on his private island.Things take a turn when all of Slater's guests drop their cellphones in a bag and suspicious events happen, like when a knife belonging to one of the guests goes missing.Later on in the trailer, a clip shows Ackie discovering the missing knife after it slips out from behind a bathroom mirror."Wild nights blend into sun soaked days and everyone's having a great time," according to a synopsis for the film. "No one wants this trip to end, but as strange things start to happen, Frida begins to question her reality.""There is something wrong with this place," the synopsis continues. "She'll have to uncover the truth if she wants to make it out of this party alive."The film also stars Christian Slater, Simon Rex, Adria Arjona, Kyle MacLachlan, Haley Joel Osment, Geena Davis and Alia Shawkat.Blink Twice will hit theaters on August 23.Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Slater-king , Channing-tatum , Naomi-ackie , Shell , Blink-twice , Country- , Ichigan , Adio , Awas- , Kjc , 04-7 , Scoda

National - Carroll Broadcasting Inc.

Kelli with an Eye Photography(NEW YORK) -- A Colorado man has completed a four-month rowing journey that saw him travel from Hawaii to Australia alone.Tez Steinberg of Boulder arrived on the shores of Australia on Monday after taking off from Hawaii on Dec. 19, 2023.Steinberg, 36, was greeted in Australia by a crowd of supporters, who handed him the first bottle of fresh, cold water he'd had since December.Steinberg described the solo rowing journey as a "challenging expedition" in a statement to ABC News. He said he tried to beat the conditions and the solitude of the journey by focusing on his own reaction."I try to focus on what's in my control," he told ABC News. "I can't change the wind and the waves. All I can change is how I react to it."Steinberg used his rowing challenge to raise awareness for ocean conservation.His solo trip from Hawaii to Australia was the second leg of an adventure that began in 2020 when he rowed solo for 71 days from Monterey, California, to Oahu, Hawaii.In an interview prior to his departure in December, Steinberg told ABC News his journey while at sea during the first expedition inspired him to "go back out again" for his second expedition."I was so surprised by the experience of being on the ocean, by how beautiful the ocean is, and also how much plastic I saw," he said at the time.Embracing endurance after mental health strugglesSteinberg told ABC News he began rowing as a way to help his battle with depression, which he said he began experiencing while in college. At the time, he said, he found a solution by participating in endurance sports."And it helped me feel better, which isn't a surprise," he explained. "But as I went farther and farther, pushing myself through marathons and triathlons, I discovered this belief in myself that I'm so much stronger than I thought I was."However, in 2016, his life took a big turn after the sudden death of his father, who died by suicide. The tragedy prompted him to challenge himself even more by solo rowing across an ocean. After successfully completing the task without any prior professional experience, Steinberg said he realized he could use his story to "inspire other people to believe in themselves and their potential to change and grow."He subsequently created United World Challenge, a nonprofit organization with a mission to "accelerate solutions for the ocean plastic crisis and inspire a more courageous world," according to its website. The nonprofit was also born out of Steinberg's lifelong passion for the environment, having grown up surrounded by forests in upstate New York.Embarking on the second expedition with a new goalInspired by his first expedition, Steinberg said his new mission was intended to focus on "ocean conservation, and specifically ocean plastic," adding, "All the plastic I saw at sea was just heartbreaking.""And I couldn't come back and ignore it, and [I] needed to find some way to make a difference," he continued. "And so with [the] next expedition, [we] launched a crowdfund. And we're raising funds to build river barriers in some of the most polluted rivers of the world, stopping plastic before it flows to sea."In the previous interview with ABC News, Steinberg said the voyage from Hawaii to Australia would also be part of an attempt to break a Guinness World Record in combination with his first trip from California to Hawaii. Nevertheless, he said, breaking records wasn't his priority."If I complete this next leg [from Hawaii to Australia] in under 120 days, then I have a world record for solo rowing the entire Pacific Ocean, from east to west," Steinberg said at the time. "Personally, although a world record is exciting, that's not why I'm in it. World record is fun for media attention, but really the media attention is just so that we can get more donations and support and action for ocean plastics."Training and overcoming setbacksAs preparation for the journey, Steinberg said he ensured he was as equipped mentally as he was physically."Things as simple as meditation, gratitude, journaling, just developing more emotional awareness," he said prior to the expedition. "Because while I'm at sea, eventually my muscles will get tired, but nobody quits an ocean row because their muscles get tired, they quit because it gets too hard ... and so a lot of my training and preparation for this comes back to mindset."Despite having trained for his first expedition, Steinberg said he had to start from the beginning to prepare for his second expedition after experiencing a heart attack in July 2022, an event he said occurred "out of nowhere, out of the blue," given his good health record at the time."And after that event, I had to completely rest, no exercise, no movement for three months. And I was already planning this expedition," he said. "I was starting from zero ... I could do, like, three curls, I could walk for one minute before I needed to rest. And then five months after my heart attack, my doctors had cleared me to resume training, green light across the board, they gave me their blessing for me to do the expedition."When discussing his feelings prior to his second expedition, he said "I'm scared again, for sure.""This is a very risky and challenging endeavor. And courage is not the absence of fear. It's choosing to take that step even when you're afraid," he added at the time.Using rowing as a metaphor in his message to the public, Steinberg noted, "We all have waves washing overboard. I like to say we all have an ocean to cross, something in our life that seems too daunting, too bold or impossible to even consider attempting. And I hope that this can be an example for people to find their ocean and the courage to cross it."In his continued efforts to create awareness about his environmental mission, Steinberg shared a reminder that "we all have a role to play in creating clean oceans and a prosperous future and we can take action," even something as seemingly small as carrying a reusable water bottle or cutlery."And it's really through that level of engagement from a little bit from everyone that we can make a huge difference," he added.If you or someone you know is struggling with thoughts of suicide, free, confidential help is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Call or text the national lifeline at 988. Even if you feel like it, you are not alone.Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Monterey , California , United-states , Hawaii , Australia , New-york , Pacific-ocean , Tez-steinberg , United-world-challenge , Guinness-world-record , Country-

Politics - Carroll Broadcasting Inc.

Michael Godek/Getty Images(WASHINGTON) -- The Senate on Tuesday cleared a hurdle toward the passage of a package to deliver $95 billion in foreign aid to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan.In clearing a test vote, the Senate inched closer to the passage of the legislation, which includes four bills that passed in the House over the weekend with bipartisan support.The Senate overwhelmingly voted to proceed with the national security supplemental by a vote of 80-19. Eight Republicans who previously voted against the Senate supplemental in February, voted in favor of the foreign aid package this time around.The Senate has up to 30 hours to debate the package, meaning a final vote could come up later Tuesday or Wednesday. President Joe Biden urged the Senate to quickly advance the measures to his desk.The package provides roughly $26 billion for Israel, currently at war with Hamas in Gaza; as well as $61 billion for Ukraine and $8 billion for allies in the Indo-Pacific. A fourth bill would force a U.S. ban of TikTok if its Chinese parent company doesn't sell it; impose sanctions on Russia, China and Iran; and seize Russian assets to help Ukraine rebuild from the war's damage."A lot of people inside and outside the Congress wanted this package to fail. But today, those in Congress who stand on the side of democracy are winning the day," Schumer said after the procedural votes Tuesday afternoon. "To our friends in Ukraine, to our allies in NATO, to our allies in Israel, and to civilians around the world in need of help -- help is on the way."Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, during a fulsome press conference after the procedural vote, said he believes his party is beginning to beat back the trends of isolationism he has fought against. He concede that the isolationist streak in his party is not gone, but he said he believes progress has been made."If you're looking for a trend I think it's a trend in the direction that I would like to see us go, which is America steps up to its leadership role in the world and does what it needs to do," McConnell said.McConnell counted the groundswell of GOP support a win."I think we've turned the corner on this argument," McConnell said. "... I think we've turned the corner on the isolationist movement. I've noticed how uncomfortable proponents of that are when you call them isolationists. I think we've made some progress and I think it's going to have to continue."Schumer applauded the bipartisan approach to pass this legislation -- including his work with McConnell."Leader McConnell and I, who don't always agree, worked hand-in-hand and shoulder-to-shoulder to get this bill done. Together we were bipartisan and persistent," Schumer said.With the procedural votes' passing, the Senate is closer to helping provide aid to ally countries -- including Ukraine, which can't win its fight against Russia without the funding, America's top general in Europe said earlier this month."They are now being out shot by the Russian side five to one. So Russians fire five times as many artillery shells at the Ukrainians then the Ukrainians are able to fire back," U.S. European Command's Gen. Christopher Cavoli told the House Armed Services Committee. "That will immediately go to 10 to one in a matter of weeks. We're not talking about months."The outcome of the war could hang in the balance, according to Cavoli."The severity of this moment cannot be overstated. If we do not continue to support Ukraine, Ukraine could lose," he said.In anticipation of the bill passing, the Biden administration has worked up a roughly $1 billion military assistance package for Ukraine with the first shipment arriving within days of approval, a U.S. official told ABC News on Tuesday.The package will include desperately needed artillery rounds, air defense ammunition and armored vehicles, according to the official. The weapons and equipment will be drawn from existing U.S. stockpiles under presidential drawdown authority (PDA).It has been more than a year since Congress approved new aid for Ukraine in its fight against Russian invaders. The war has intensified in recent weeks, as more Russian strikes break through with Ukraine's air defenses running low.President Biden spoke with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Monday to reiterate U.S. support for the nation. Zelenskyy said he was "grateful" to Biden "for his unwavering support for Ukraine and for his true global leadership."The Ukrainian leader commended House Speaker Mike Johnson -- whose position on Ukraine aid evolved from also requiring changes to border and immigration policy to working with Democrats to pass the latest bills -- and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y.Biden first requested more assistance for Ukraine, Israel and the Indo-Pacific last fall. The Senate passed a $95 billion bill in February, but the legislation faced a logjam in the House as a coalition of Republican hard-liners grew opposed to sending more resources overseas without addressing domestic issues like immigration.At the same time, GOP leaders like Johnson echoed those concerns and had pushed for major changes to immigration policy, though a sweeping deal in the Senate to tie foreign aid to such changes was opposed by former President Donald Trump and rejected by conservatives as insufficient.Then, pressure increased on lawmakers to pass aid to overseas allies after Iran's unprecedented attacks on Israel earlier this month, in retaliation for a strike on an Iranian consular complex in Syria, and as Russian forces continue to make offensive gains.Speaker Johnson, once opposed to more aid for Ukraine, said last week he was "willing" to stake his job on the issue as an ouster threat looms from fellow Republican Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene, Thomas Massie and Paul Gosar.Johnson earned bipartisan praise for the reversal."He tried to do what the, you know, say the Freedom Caucus wanted him to do. It wasn't going to work in the Senate or the White House," Republican Rep. Michael McCaul, the House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman, said on ABC's "This Week" on Sunday. "At the end of the day, we were running out of time. Ukraine's getting ready to fall."Johnson, McCaul said, "went through a transformation" on the issue.After the procedural votes' passing, Schumer even praised Johnson."I thank Speaker Johnson, who rose to the occasion, in his own words, said he had to do the right thing despite the enormous political pressure on him" Schumer said.ABC News' Juhi Doshi contributed to this report.Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Israel , Washington , United-states , China , Taiwan , White-house , District-of-columbia , Russia , Gaza , Israel-general- , Ukraine , Syria