Senate Republicans on Wednesday blocked an emergency spending bill, 51-49, that would have provided billions in aid to Ukraine and Israel over the border crisis.
Every Senate Republican voted no on the procedural vote to advance a $110.5 billion national security bill that included about $50 billion for security assistance Ukraine plus $14 billion for Israel. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) joined them in opposition over concerns about funding Israel’s “current inhumane military strategy” in Gaza. And Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer also ended up voting “no” so he could bring the measure up again. Senators need to reach 60 votes to bring the proposal up for consideration.
"As we’ve said for weeks, legislation that doesn’t include policy changes to secure our borders will not pass the Senate. The situation unfolding at our southern border on President Biden’s watch is a crisis of historic proportions. It’s glaring. It’s acute. And it’s undermining America’s national security," Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell said earlier Wednesday.
"In today’s Democratic Party, some of our colleagues appear to be so terrified of their radical base that they’re convinced open borders are worth jeopardizing U.S. security around the world… That securing America’s borders is less urgent than helping our partners defend theirs. ... if today’s vote is what it takes for the Democratic Leader to recognize that Senate Republicans mean what we say, then let’s vote. And then, let’s finally start meeting America’s national security priorities, including right here at home.”
But even if the measure passed the Senate, any aid to Ukraine will face opposition in the House, where Republicans are also demanding border fixes.
Late Wednesday, Sens. Rick Scott (R., Fla.), Ron Johnson (R., Wis.) and Mike Lee (R., Utah) proposed that aid to Ukraine be conditioned on meeting metrics for reducing illegal crossings, with money released at a rate of $5 billion a month provided that the number of illegal crossings was reduced by about 20,000 from the prior month’s levels. “We’ve been told that that’s part of the conversation,” Scott said. [...]
Any legislation must also clear the GOP-led House, with Speaker Mike Johnson (R., La.) telling the White House this week that additional money for Ukraine would depend on “enactment of transformative change to our nation’s border security laws.” He faces skepticism from many rank-and-file Republicans, who have soured on aid to the country, and has told Democrats that no Ukraine funding is possible without border concessions. (WSJ)
Earlier Wednesday, after accusing "extreme Republicans" of "playing chicken with our national security," President Biden signaled he was open to making "significant compromises on the border" in exchange for Ukraine aid.