Growing Senate Republican opposition puts the bill in doubt ahead of a key procedural vote on Wednesday.
Less than 24 hours after the unveiling of the Senate border-Ukraine package, the deal appears to be on life support amid growing opposition from both Senate and House Republicans.
The details of the package, itself the culmination of months of behind-the-scenes wrangling between Senate Republicans and Democrats, were finally made public the evening of Feb. 4.
These revealed that the package had a top-line cost of $118 billion, including roughly $60 billion for Ukraine. Other expenditures in the package would go toward Israel, Taiwan, and U.S. border security.
The package seemed poised to be fast-tracked through the U.S. Senate with the support of both Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.).
But the border security measures, including a provision that mandates a border shutdown when 5,000 illegal immigrants enter in a day, have drawn fierce blowback from conservatives. Senate Republicans have also called for more time to study the bill.
During a closed-door Senate GOP meeting on Monday night, Mr. McConnell recommended senators vote no to a procedural vote on Wednesday to begin debate on the bill, according to a