[ad_1]
Some Senate Republicans are pushing to get stricter border security measures added to the foreign aid bill after tanking the bipartisan immigration deal.
Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, on Thursday filed an modification to add hardline border security measures to the foreign aid standalone nationwide security supplemental package that might ship billions to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan.
“It is important that Russia lose and [Vladimir] Putin lose, but it is even more urgent that we defend our nation first. I will fund military aid to Ukraine, but only after we enact meaningful measures to secure America’s own border,” Cruz advised Fox News Digital.
Cruz’s modification is similar to H.R. 2, generally known as the “Secure the Border Act,” the border security bill that the House handed final 12 months to restore most Trump-era insurance policies and reform asylum.
It’s thought of a “nonstarter” by Democrats within the higher chamber, making the chance of passage very low. It’s unclear whether or not the modification will even get a vote.
SENATE REPUBLICANS PREPARE FOR LONG HAUL IN FIGHT OVER UKRAINE, ISRAEL AID
Sens. John Cornyn, R-Texas, left, and Ted Cruz, R-Texas. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik | Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
“H.R. 2 is the only serious border legislation that has been considered this Congress, and it contains real solutions for the border crisis like building the wall, tightening asylum standards, reinstating the remain in Mexico policy, increasing the number of Border Patrol agents, and more,” Cruz mentioned.
Sen. Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., mentioned he would allow Republicans to provide amendments, although the schedule continues to be up within the air.
“I hope our Republican colleagues can work with us to reach an agreement on amendments so we can move this process along,” Schumer mentioned on the ground Friday. “Democrats are willing to consider reasonable and fair amendments here on the floor as we’ve shown on many occasions in the past three years. Nevertheless, the Senate will keep working on this bill until the job is done.”
Behind the scenes, although, a number of aides advised Fox News Digital on Friday that they’d “no idea” what is going on on, because the “schedule is still very much in flux.”
Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, additionally expressed help for including H.R. 2 to the package in a put up on X.
Cornyn voted in opposition to the inclusion of the long-awaited bipartisan border bill within the foreign aid package on Wednesday, however indicated he may help the Ukraine aid with none border security measures.
“This bill is far from perfect,” Cornyn wrote. “I am disappointed the Senate’s border proposal fell woefully short of actually securing our border, & I am pushing to add HR2 to this legislation. But we can’t let President Biden’s abysmal border policy prevent us from supporting our troops & allies.”
Senators sunk the passage of the revised nationwide security supplemental package this week in a 49-50 vote, which included a bipartisan border bill that Sens. James Lankford, R-Okla.; Krysten Sinema, I-Ariz.; and Chris Murphy, D-Conn., negotiated in collaboration with Biden officers.
SENATE TANKS IMMIGRATION, FOREIGN AID SPENDING PACKAGE AFTER GOP BACKLASH AGAINST BORDER PROVISIONS
Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, left, and President Biden go to Saint Michael’s Cathedral in Kyiv, Ukraine, on Feb. 20, 2023. (REUTERS/Gleb Garanich)
After the nationwide security supplemental with border provisions failed, Schumer introduced the $95 billion foreign aid bill to the ground as plan B, which superior in a 67-32 cloture vote Wednesday.
The package contains $60 billion for Ukraine, $14 billion for Israel, $9 billion in humanitarian help for Gaza and almost $5 billion for the Indo-Pacific.
Numerous Republicans beforehand mentioned they might not approve extra funding for Ukraine until the overwhelmed southern border was secured first.
The Senate will maintain extra procedural votes Friday and over the weekend. Votes are additionally anticipated on Super Bowl Sunday, and aides advised Fox News Digital the vote for remaining passage is feasible on Tuesday.
Immigrants wait to be processed by the U.S. Border Patrol after crossing the border from Mexico in Yuma, Arizona, on Aug. 6, 2022. (Qian Weizhong/VCG through Getty Images)
Republican Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., a powerful proponent of supporting Ukraine, advocated funding for Ukraine and voted to advance the bill, however drew criticism from celebration members who urged lawmakers not to cross foreign aid with out securing the border first.
After senators voted to shoot down the border bill, McConnell mentioned he “followed the instructions” of the GOP convention “who were insisting that we tackle this in October.”
“I mean, it’s actually our side that wanted to tackle the border issue,” McConnell mentioned this week.
[ad_2]
Source hyperlink