U.S. Senate Border Bill Fails, Ukraine Funding Vote Expected
Image Credit: Senate Democrats / CC
The Center Square [By Casey Harper] –
A $118 billion deal that combined a batch of foreign funding for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan with a slew of controversial border provisions failed in the U.S. Senate Wednesday. The text of that bill was unveiled Sunday, but support imploded almost immediately.
Now that the border and foreign aid compromise has failed, Sen. Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., is expected to force a vote on the foreign aid provisions as a standalone bill. That roughly $95 billion foreign defense aid package to Taiwan, Israel and Ukraine, which also includes humanitarian aid for Gaza and Ukraine, should get a vote later Wednesday.
Ukraine funding has become increasingly controversial, and many Republicans have made clear they will not support additional Ukraine funding without significant improvements with the southern border crisis.
Senate Republican leadership negotiated the combined border and foreign aid deal with Democrats, but several Senate Republicans, former President Donald Trump, and House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., vocally opposed it, helping crater support.
“Late last year, Senate Republicans agreed that any bill providing aid to Ukraine should (at a minimum) contain provisions that would bring an end to the border crisis,” U.S. Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter. “The bill text received Sunday night didn’t satisfy that requirement. That doesn’t mean Senate GOP leaders should now push a bill that funds Ukraine without border-security language.
“It means they need to go back to the drawing board,” he added.
Johnson publicly said the bill would be “dead on arrival” in the House.
“The Senate border deal is a failure on two fronts,” U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter. “It codifies catch and release, gives billions to NGOs, and normalizes 1.8M illegal aliens yearly. And secondly, every Democrat will say they tried to get a deal but the cruel Republicans blocked it. This is exactly what Chuck Schumer and Joe Biden want!”
Over 11 million illegal immigrants have crossed the U.S. border during President Joe Biden’s term, many of them asylum seekers but many others not.
The border bill’s supporters pointed out it would put some restrictions on asylum seekers and put in place a release valve to shut down the border if it gets overwhelmed. Republicans say the bill includes loopholes that allow the head of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to broadly grant asylum. They also say the border is already overwhelmed and should be shut down immediately.
Politically, Democrats argue Republicans want to leave the border unsolved so they can campaign on it going into November. Republicans, though, say Biden already has the authority and just needs to enforce the laws on the books and alter border protocols and administrative asylum policies.
Cruz is one of several Republican senators to be outspoken against the bill. U.S. Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., blasted the bill on X as well. In particular, Cotton said it would add a backdoor ability for the Department of Homeland Security secretary to grant asylum claims for migrants.
“The bill codifies catch-and-release under so-called ‘alternatives to detention’ for any alien who says they *intend* to apply for asylum or another protection,” Cotton wrote. “The bill gives immediate work permits to everyone who says they want asylum, as long as they pass an initial screening by liberal bureaucrats. This will be a huge magnet for more illegal immigration.”
Trump also rallied opposition to the bill, warning Republicans: “don’t fall for it.”
As The Center Square previously reported, the Senate also faces two deadlines in March. One is the reauthorization of the Federal Aviation Act as well as two government shutdown deadlines. Neither the House nor the Senate has passed a government funding bill despite the two staggered deadlines in early March.
About the Author:Casey Harper, The Center Square D.C. Bureau Reporter – charper@centersquare.com ~ Harper is a Senior Reporter for the Washington, D.C. Bureau. He previously worked for The Daily Caller, The Hill, and Sinclair Broadcast Group. A graduate of Hillsdale College, Casey’s work has also appeared in Fox News, Fox Business, and USA Today.
No bill is needed. Biden can start back title 42 and all of Trumps previous orders for the border. They want more money for Ukraine. Tired of our government protecting other countries and not our borders. Democrats and many Rinos are not America first. They need to abide by their oath, if not they need to go. NO MONEY TO UKRAINE!
I agree. Also, Russia isn’t a threat to the U.S. except Nukes. They can barely beat Ukraine and couldn’t beat Germany.
Compare the Military Budgets >
… Russia = $85 Billion
… Combined EU = $350 Billion
… US = $880 Billion
This article is a great disappointment and I hope the author reads this. I wish “conservative” writers would stop repeating Dem obvious lies. If I wanted that, I would watch MSNBC. Here’s an example >
“Democrats argue Republicans want to leave the border unsolved so they can campaign on it going into November. Republicans, though, say Biden already has the authority and just needs to enforce the laws on the books and alter border protocols and administrative asylum policies.”
I’m an analyst and researcher. Short answer > the Dems are lying. Repeating Dem lies is a form of lying. Don’t be part of the Dem media.
Facts > Elon Musk said > current laws allow Biden to secure the border – he doesn’t need a new law. Proof is that in Trump’s last year 2020 only 500,000 illegals came in. In 2021, 2.5 million came in because Biden ended all the policies Trump was using and told the world that illegals are welcome in the U.S. and won’t be deported. Biden wants the maximize number of illegals because he wants them into Dem voters. You can easily research any of this but it’s true. Please give us the TRUTH and facts.
There is no need for a border bill! The so-called president or who ever has the POWER to close the border as past Presidents have done. Not voting on a bill to let 1.8 million a year in which is a pure garbage bill. All funding to the Money Laundering Ukraine thru Defense contractors and back into the pockets of Politicians who have interest in them. Take out the TRASH November 2024!!
The US taxpayer is funding and supporting the Banderites of the Ukraine.
The US taxpayer is also supporting the pension funds, businesses and government salaries of one of the most corrupt governments and country’s on Earth.
What is sad is that today’s US government is up there with the Ukraine.