Republican Senators on Wednesday voted against advancing a compromised ‘border security bill’ that would have allocated more money to foreign countries while largely ignoring the US border.
“A motion to proceed to the package failed by a vote of 49-50, with most of the Senate GOP conference voting against it. Republican Sens. Susan Collins (Maine), Lisa Murkowski (Alaska), James Lankford (Okla.) and Mitt Romney (Utah) voted to advance the measure.” The Hill reported.
The Senate’s $118.28 billion national security supplemental package allocates $60 billion in military aid to Ukraine.
Only $20.23 billion was allocated to secure the US border amid an unprecedented invasion of military-age males from Africa, the Middle East, Latin America, and China.
According to Democrat Senator Patty Murray, Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, the $118.28 billion national security supplemental package includes:
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell on Tuesday told reporters the Senate bill was dead on arrival.
Rather than admitting the border security bill is flawed, McConnell said he had a change of tune because the ‘political mood in the country has changed.’
“Most of our members feel that we’re not going to be able to make a law here,” McConnell told reporters on Tuesday.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said he will be moving forward with a backup plan.
“Schumer told members of his caucus and the White House last week that if the Republicans scuttled the bipartisan border and supplemental agreement, he had prepared a plan to use the motion to reconsider to force Republicans to vote on the supplemental without border [reforms],” the aide said, according to The Hill.
