On Wednesday, a bipartisan attempt to strengthen border security, which had taken months to negotiate, was badly thwarted by Republicans in the U.S. Senate.
Nonetheless, they maintained the capacity to approve money for Israel and Ukraine, which was included in the deal.
Let’s read the news and find out more.
Senate Stops Border Plan, Aid for Ukraine, Israel Likely Pass
A $118 billion bipartisan package that would strengthen immigration laws, support Israel in its conflict with Hamas, and assist Ukraine in fending off a Russian invasion was rejected by the Senate by a vote of 49–50, mostly along party lines.
In the chamber controlled by Democrats 51–49, the bill needed 60 votes to pass. Even though the deal included many major requirements, many Republicans quickly rejected it when it was made public on Sunday.
Out of the 49 Republicans in the Senate, just four supported the bill.
For a long time, Republicans have maintained the idea that any additional support provided to the two U.S. allies must also tackle the substantial number of migrants at the border between the United States and Mexico, which proves to be a major source of concern for voters.
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While campaigning to unseat Democratic President Joe Biden in November, former President Donald Trump repeatedly made calls for strict immigration rules while also pressing people not to compromise.
One of the negotiators, Republican Senator James Lankford, stated, “Some have been very clear with me they have political differences with the bill.”
He added, “They say it’s the wrong time to solve the problem, let the presidential election solve the problem.”
Meanwhile, one of the deal’s creators, Independent senator Kyrsten Sinema, expressed her confusion over the abrupt change in circumstances; she stated, “Three weeks ago, everyone wanted to solve the border crisis,” while adding, “Yesterday, nobody did.”
However, the bill’s rejection didn’t nullify the chance that Congress may still give the United States’ allies much-needed support.
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On Thursday, a $96 billion proposal that eliminates the immigration measures while maintaining the foreign aid was scheduled for a Senate vote.
A foreign aid package was expected to receive well over 60 votes in the 100-seat chamber, according to an aide to Republican Senator Roger Wicker.
Rather than moving on with the planned amendments, Senate leaders stalled for hours as Republicans attempted to negotiate a series of changes that would revive the border dispute and change provisions to support Israel and Ukraine.
According to Republican Senator John Cornyn, party members wanted to propose adjustments regarding aid distribution to U.S. allies and border security.
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Despite expressing doubt that a compromise might be reached later on Wednesday, Cornyn stated that he remained positive about getting one.
Senate Democratic Majority Leader Chuck Schumer declared on Wednesday night that the vote would be postponed until Thursday to provide more time for the Republicans to determine their party’s course of action.
Even if it succeeds, The House of Representatives, which Republicans control, has shown opposition to more funding for Ukraine, placing the aid’s future in doubt.
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