Republicans officially TANK their own $118 BILLION border security bill: Conservative Senators tear into Mitch McConnell as GOP package unravels in just 72 hours after months of negotiations

The $118 billion bipartisan border security bill officially collapsed in the Senate on Wednesday after conservative Republicans destroyed the compromise package negotiated under party leaders’ leadership.

Republicans quickly rejected Majority Leader Chuck Schumer’s vote to advance the $118 border security bill from 49 to 50 after days of outrage from the GOP. They said the bill did not go far enough to secure the border.

Schumer, D-N.Y., said the vote “would show who is serious about securing the border — and who is not.”

Having failed to get 60 votes to advance, attention immediately turned to a new effort to move aid to Ukraine and Israel without border language — with scores of Republicans saying they would agree to the idea.

Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) rejected the latest effort, even as he predicted it could generate the 60 votes needed to advance.

“I support the Ukraine bill, but I also have no intention of giving up border security provisions,” said Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas), who had opposed the overall package passed Wednesday.

He said negotiations were beginning on a process that would allow senators to offer amendments to change it.

“I’m not giving up on securing the border,” said Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina.

Republican Senator John Kennedy of Louisiana said, “The border bill is as dead as Woodrow Wilson.

Only four Republicans supported the deal during the vote. “Three weeks ago, everyone wanted to solve the border crisis,” said Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (I-Ariz.). “Nobody did that yesterday.”

It was just the latest demonstration of chaos in Congress after House leaders failed to muster enough votes to pass a separate $17 billion package on Tuesday to provide U.S. aid to Israel.

The deal’s scrapping came despite Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and Schumer both backing the proposal, which President Joe Biden also backed.

But former President Donald Trump had lobbied against it, calling it a “death wish” for the Republican Party.

Now senators will have the chance to vote on a thinner $95 billion package, completely stripped of border language, under a maneuver by Schumer.

The idea received some Republican support.

“Anyone who thinks there will be no consequence, no negative consequence in the history of this vote, really needs to read up on the history. That is why I am going to try to do my part to avoid ending up on that dark page of history,” said Senator Thom Tillis (RN.C.), emphasizing the importance of the Ukraine package.

“I’d like to have the border bill on it. But if we can’t pass a border bill, we still have to do something with Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan,” said Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.).

Schumer’s gamble comes after President Joe Biden blasted Republicans in Congress for lacking “backbone” after helping to doom a bipartisan compromise that would have included $20 billion in new border enforcement funds.

Democrats blame former President Donald Trump, who opposed the deal, for pulling strings and destroying the chance for compromise in an election year.

“When President Trump came along and said he didn’t want to solve the border problem, he wanted it to be a campaign issue, (House) Speaker Johnson obediently changed his tune, infuriating Schumer.

He repeatedly linked the Republican Party’s backlash to Russian President Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine, which is approaching its two-year anniversary.

“Last night, members from across the aisle met to decide whether to side with the American people or obey the wishes of former President Trump and his friend Vladimir Putin,” Schumer said.

“Tomorrow, the American people will find out whether Senators will pursue border security and oppose Russian expansionism, or whether they will support former President Trump in support of chaos and Vladimir Putin,” he added in remarks on the Senate floor.

After the vote to pass the package is unlikely to get 60 votes, Schumer plans to scrap the border provisions that Republicans had asked for in principle while resisting the details and instead issue additional “emergency appropriations” to provide $60 billion to Ukraine, increase aid to Israel and provide additional funds for Taiwan, along with reconstruction aid for Gaza.

The US has had to cut military aid to Ukraine after budget authority dried up. The two-year anniversary of the Russian invasion is approaching

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) said he would support a clean bill proposal. He was hammered by conservative MAGA members of his conference for helping set up the border compromise

That gives him the opportunity to present Republicans with a second procedural motion — this time without the borderline language intended to win over Republicans. One provision allows the government to close the border when the number of daily border crossings reaches 5,000.

Schumer told members of his caucus and the White House last week that if Republicans scuttled the bipartisan border and supplemental agreement, he had prepared a plan to use the reconsideration motion to force Republicans to vote on the additional cross-border agreement (reforms),” a Senate Democratic aide told me the hill.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell said he would support a “clean” package on aide Ukraine. Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas), who was among those who trashed the border package, said he would do so, too.

Such a package would likely be doomed in the Republican-led House of Representatives, which failed to impeach the Homeland Security Sec on Tuesday. Alejandro Mayorkas and failed to pass a package related only to aid to Israel.

The Senate votes come after Senate conservatives spoke out on the compromise, with some even calling for a change in leadership over McConnell’s role in pushing the compromise forward.

Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas, who opposed McConnell when he was re-elected to his post in 2022, said Tuesday it was time for him to go. “I think a Republican leader should actually lead this conference and advance the priorities of Republicans,” he said.

McConnell has been a frequent target of Trump. The two men have not spoken since January 6, even as Trump moves closer to securing his party’s nomination.