Washington – long-awaited prospects border security agreement The Senate-negotiated bill was immediately called into question after it was announced this week, with dozens of Republican senators announcing their opposition to the bill hours after it was announced.
“I think this proposal is dead,” Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Mississippi, told reporters Monday night after a meeting in Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell's office.
For others, the bill's prospects weren't so pretty. Still, Senate Republicans who finished their meeting late Monday raised the possibility that the group would oppose a procedural vote on the bill scheduled for Wednesday to give lawmakers more time to consider the bill. Questions have arisen about the bill's future as the bill's sponsors seek to preserve it. Momentum.
In remarks on the floor Tuesday morning, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer implored Senate Republicans to vote in favor of a procedural motion Wednesday that would allow lawmakers to begin debate on the issue. He warned that Parliament would be prorogued “for as long as necessary” to consider the bill, and said MPs could introduce amendments and ultimately vote against the bill if they wish.
“Vote. It's urgent,” Schumer said. “We've been talking and debating for months. It's time to vote.”
Senate border and foreign aid bill
Senate negotiators have been working for months to craft a deal that would be the first comprehensive overhaul of border security policy in decades and give the president broad powers to crack down on illegal border crossings. On Sunday, the three senators released the text of the bill. This is part of a larger additional funding package that also includes humanitarian aid for Gaza, as well as aid to Israel and Ukraine.
Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc (via Getty Images)
The deal's chances in Congress appeared to plummet after former President Donald Trump weighed in and instructed Republicans in Congress to oppose the bill. Speaker Mike Johnson and House leadership have repeatedly said the bill was “dead on arrival” in the House and called on President Biden to take executive action on the border instead.
Sen. John Hoeven of North Dakota told reporters that the “feeling in the room” Monday night was that there would be no support for Wednesday's vote to advance the bill. People are still trying to understand.” invoice. “The council plans to discuss this issue further at a luncheon on Tuesday.
Sen. John Thune, the No. 2 Republican in the Senate, said “members have a lot of questions about what's in it” and “we're still evaluating it.”
“We'll be alive to argue tomorrow,” Thun said.
Even Sen. James Lankford, who negotiated the deal with Sens. Kyrsten Sinema and Chris Murphy, expected Wednesday's procedural vote to start debate would not be enough. The bill would need 60 votes to advance.
“We do not expect a cloture vote to pass on Wednesday,” Lankford said. “People are saying, 'We need more time to get through this.'”
Still, Lankford noted the difference between flatly opposing the bill and saying the process cannot be rushed, making it clear that passing the deal remains a “work in progress.”
“I'm not going to throw a funeral over this,” Lankford said.
Alejandro Alvarez and Alan He contributed reporting.
