After whiffing on border security, Senate plans vote on billions more to Ukraine

With border legislation that was widely criticized as inadequate appearing to be dead in the water, the Senate now plans to hold a vote on a separate deal with only Ukraine and international aid, The Hill reported.

The original Senate deal contained aid for Ukraine and a host of other nations affixed to a border security package, but was widely rejected by Republican lawmakers who felt it did not do enough to address the immigration crisis. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer now plans to announce a deal split from border security and focused specifically on Ukraine and international aid on Wednesday, according to The Hill.

“I have it on good authority that The Firm intends to force through the Ukraine aid portion of the supplemental aid package (minus the border bill) tomorrow,” Republican Utah Sen. Mike Lee said. “Do you want to give $60B to Ukraine, knowing that the entire budget of the U.S. Marine Corps in FY2023 was $53.8B?”

What date would work for a vote on the national security bill for the GOP?

If you don’t want to help solve the border crisis and fight Putin today or tomorrow—when is good for you?

February 24?

That’d mark 2 years since Putin’s illegal, immoral invasion of Ukraine

Let me know

— Chuck Schumer (@SenSchumer) February 6, 2024

Schumer first plans to hold a procedural vote Wednesday on the original border-Ukraine deal, according to The Hill. If it fails to garner enough votes – as many Senate Republicans are widely against it – Shcumer then plans to introduce a new supplemental package with Ukraine aid and without border security.

“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,]” a Senate aide told The Hill.

A motion to reconsider would force Senate members to immediately vote on the supplemental, according to The Hill. That supplemental, which will contain aid to Ukraine, Israel, and the Indo-Pacific, is expected to pass in the Senate.

The U.S. has provided Ukraine with $75 billion since the beginning of the country’s war against Russia. The original Senate deal released Sunday included an additional $60 billion for Ukraine.

Republicans in both the House and the Senate widely opposed the original deal because they felt the border security aspect was too weak and didn’t go far enough. The deal allowed 5,000 illegal migrants into the country per day and did not provide funding for a border wall.

Schumer did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

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