Senators race to secure border deal with Ukraine aid at stake
- Senate negotiators labor to win support for a deal on border policy
- Democrats seek about $60 billion in Ukraine aid
- GOP seeks stricter asylum regulations in exchange for Ukraine aid
Sen. Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., speaks at a news conference after a policy luncheon on Capitol Hill Wednesday, Jan. 17, 2024, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mariam Zuhaib)
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WASHINGTON (NewsNation) — As the war in Ukraine enters its 700th day and the U.S. border crisis continues, Senate negotiators continue to labor to win support for a deal on border policy and Ukraine aid. They’ve reported progress, however, a vote on a measure allocating billions of dollars for both issues may still be days away.
Republicans and Democrats remain hopeful a deal can be reached, but some issues remain unresolved.
Amid the ongoing war in Ukraine, President Joe Biden and fellow Democrats want to release around $60 billion in aid for troops. However, this week, the Biden administration stated that the U.S. can no longer provide ammunition and some weapons after money dried up in December.
Republicans are seeking significant changes to address the border crisis in exchange for providing aid to Ukraine, including making it harder to claim asylum in the U.S. and reducing the number of migrants allowed to enter for emergency reasons.
This week, both sides stressed the importance of what they want in the final deal.
“Reports suggest that on some days, Ukraine is firing one-quarter to one-half the number of rounds that the Russian military is,” said Democratic Sen. Chris Murphy of Connecticut. “That is a recipe for disaster. That is a recipe for Kyiv to be a Russian city sometime soon.”
“We have to deal with a national security threat that exists at our southern border,” said Sen. John Thune, R-S.D.
Once negotiators announce a deal, there will be a delay as the text is drafted and lawmakers review the bill before a vote happens. Following these steps, the final bill may encounter significant challenges in passing the Republican-controlled House.
GOP Sen. Rick Scott of Florida said at a news conference Wednesday that Republicans in the Senate should not be voting for anything if their counterparts in the House don’t support it. Scott, along with other Republican senators like Ted Cruz, had harsh words for the Biden administration over the southern border.
“The bottom line is this if we cannot secure our border, we need to close the border,” Scott said.
