Republicans demand tougher measures to secure southern frontier, which Speaker Johnson calls an unsustainable catastrophe.
Senate Republicans on Dec. 6 blocked the advancement of a supplemental bill to fund Ukraine, Israel, and the border, taking issue with the bill’s border measures that they say are not tough enough.
The tally was 49–51 as the Senate failed to clear the 60-vote threshold to begin debate on the $110.5 billion package.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) voted no so he could bring it up again if he chooses.
Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) voted against the procedural vote as he has called for conditioning assistance to Israel.
The day before the vote, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) called for his rank-and-file to vote against it “to make the point, hopefully for the final time, that we insist on meaningful changes to the border.”
Republicans have said they would not support Ukraine funding unless there is funding to secure the southern border.
The 167-page bill allocates $13.5 billion in weapons to Ukraine amid its war with Russia, which invaded the Eastern European country in February 2022.
Talks between Senate Democrats and Republicans reportedly broke down over the weekend, thereby jeopardizing further Ukraine aid.
The Biden administration has