The Senate has advanced a major foreign aid bill to Ukraine and Israel without border security measures after Republican unrest earlier this week ultimately prevented a bipartisan deal.
On Wednesday, Republicans struck a $118 billion bipartisan deal to strengthen border security while funding Ukraine and Israel. They accused the country of not going far enough to secure the border and said it would reinforce Biden’s “open border” policy.
But Majority Leader Chuck Schumer announced that the Senate would still send money to critical U.S. allies through an updated $95 billion supplemental bill, without the border provisions.
That bill included the necessary 60 senators needed to break a filibuster and advance on a 67-32 vote Thursday, but it faces an uncertain fate. If it ultimately passes, it would also face a hurdle in the House of Representatives.
Getting Senate Republicans on board wasn’t easy as emotions ran high over the failed border deal.
Sen. John Thune, R-N.D., has reportedly told his Republican colleagues to “stop being a p****** and just vote” because the issue isn’t going away and America’s allies need help .
Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., blamed Mitch McConnell for the dysfunction, while other Republicans, including Ted Cruz and Mike Lee, called for the longtime leader’s ouster.
Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., blamed Mitch McConnell for the dysfunction, while other Republicans ousted the longtime leader.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) blasted Republicans for backing out of a border compromise that also included aid to Ukraine and Israel
“McConnell’s problem is he doesn’t talk to his members. He doesn’t listen to his members. He doesn’t talk to his members. He’s so focused on Zelensky. He has bigger problems than Zelensky.’
Senator Lindsey Graham said he would block the bill unless he agreed to include an amendment on border security.
Democrats accused former President Donald Trump, who opposed the drilling deal, of pulling strings and destroying the chance for compromise in an election year.
President Joe Biden has criticized Republicans in Congress for lacking a “backbone” after helping to doom the deal that would have included $20 billion in new border enforcement funds.
“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.
The bill will provide additional emergency appropriations to give Ukraine $60 billion, increase support to Israel and provide additional resources 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
“If America fails to stand with our partners on the front lines in Europe and the Middle East, we will fragment our credibility with friends in the Indo-Pacific,” Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell said during speeches in which he also accused Biden of steering clear of Iran’s ‘red lines’ in response to the drone strike that killed three US troops.
Among Republicans willing to agree to the new approach is Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.). “I’d like to have the border bill on it. “But if we fail to pass a border law, we still have to do something with Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan,” he said.
Senator Thom Tillis (R-Tillis) also supports the ‘clean’ package without border provisions.
“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’s why I’m going to try to do my part to avoid ending up on that dark page of history,” he said, calling for help to key US allies.
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.
McConnell said he would support a “clean” package on aid to 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.