Lawmakers debating immigration and border reform could threaten the passage of a supplemental aid package for Israel and Ukraine.
According to NBC News, Republican and Democratic lawmakers are trading barbs on the subject in order to pass military funding for the two war-ridden nations.
Congressional Republicans are demanding the passage of the House’s H.R. 2, “Secure the Border Act” bill, in exchange for aid.
While Democratic Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York cried foul on the Senate floor because Republicans “aren’t interested in meeting us halfway,” GOP Texas Sen. John Cornyn said the Dems don’t get it.
“I think there’s a misunderstanding on the part of Senator Schumer and some of our Democratic friends,” Cornyn told the news outlet. “This is not a traditional negotiation, where we expect to come up with a bipartisan compromise on the border. This is a price that has to be paid in order to get the supplemental.”
This could threaten President Joe Biden’s $106 billion aid package for Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan. The majority of the funding, however, is earmarked for Ukraine—$62 billion.
The Biden administration said that “we are out of money” on Ukraine aid to date, with Finance and Budget Director Shalanda Young saying the money will dry up before the end of the year.
“We are out of money to support Ukraine in this fight,” Young said. “This isn’t a next year problem. The time to help a democratic Ukraine fight against Russian aggression is right now. It is time for Congress to act.”
But Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson of Louisiana reaffirmed that Republicans aren’t backing down with their demands.
“The Biden Administration has failed to substantively address any of my conference’s legitimate concerns about the lack of a clear strategy in Ukraine, a path to resolving the conflict, or a plan for adequately ensuring accountability for aid provided by American taxpayers,” Johnson posted on the social media platform X. “Meanwhile, the Administration is continually ignoring the catastrophe at our own border. House Republicans have resolved that any national security supplemental package must begin with our own border.
“We believe both issues can be agreed upon if Senate Democrats and the White House will negotiate reasonably,” he continued.
