Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said Wednesday that negotiators are “working hard to pass another round of Ukraine aid” and increased border security — but some provisions “are still outstanding.”
“One thing’s for sure: We’re going to keep doing this,” Schumer (D-NY) said in a floor speech. “If we do not act, Ukraine will fall. … And every day Americans will feel the effects, not in years but in months.”
The $106 billion national security supplement proposed in October by President Biden would also include funding for US security in the Indo-Pacific, military aid for Israel amid its war with Hamas, as well as humanitarian aid for Ukraine, the Jewish state, and Gaza. strip
It includes $61.4 billion in aid for Ukraine as it approaches the second anniversary of the Russian invasion, $14.3 billion for Israel, $13.6 billion to increase border enforcement and $10 billion in humanitarian aid.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky told House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) in December that his country would not need aid until February — contrary to statements from the White House that funds would dry up by the end of 2023.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said Wednesday that negotiators are “working hard to pass another round of Ukraine aid” and increased border security — but some provisions “are still outstanding.” Shutterstock It includes $61.4 billion in aid for Ukraine as it approaches the second anniversary of the war, $14.3 billion for Israel and $13.6 billion to improve border enforcement. Reuters
The Pentagon allocated another $250 million to help Kyiv replenish artillery shells, anti-aircraft missiles and other weapons on December 27, but Schumer pointed out on Wednesday that Russian President Vladimir Putin was “boasting” about further aid stalling as Moscow replenishes its own weapons with help from North Korea.
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) has stood united with Schumer in calling for funding Ukraine’s war effort against Russia — despite opposition from right-wing Republicans who want to secure the border first.
“This has never been about charity,” McConnell told colleagues Wednesday morning. “It is not about gestures of kindness or abstract principles of international relations. This is about cold, hard American interests.”
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell has stood united with Schumer in a call to fund Ukraine’s war effort against Russia – despite opposition from right-wing Republicans. Rod Lamkey – CNP / MEGA
“This is in the direct interest of the United States so that authoritarians do not feel free to redraw the map by force,” he added, noting that Putin’s re-election campaign included the slogan “Russia’s borders do not end anywhere.”
Conservatives have expressed skepticism about the bill, worried that leadership will block them in a rush to vote before debating what could be the biggest legislative overhaul of immigration policy since 1986.
In a press conference Wednesday afternoon, six GOP senators called on their colleagues to help them block the legislation and criticized their leadership for leaving them out of negotiations.
“Without referencing the conference, he took away most of our leverage by saying we’re not going to ask to tie up funding to Ukraine to actually secure the border,” Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) said of McConnell.
Sen. James Lankford (R-Okla.), who has led negotiations with Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) and Kyrsten Sinema (I-Ariz.) on the bill, told reporters Tuesday that the full text of the bill could be released this week. Reuters
“We don’t want drugs; We don’t want criminals; We don’t want terrorists; We don’t want human traffickers,” added Scott. “When President Trump is president, the border is secure. So it’s not about the law.”
Much of their criticism centered on a leaked version of the border bill, which included provisions allowing up to 5,000 migrants a day into the US, as well as proposed funding for sanctuary cities like New York.
Senator Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) likened the negotiations to a “Rube Goldberg” machine, making a simple problem of the complex escalation of migrant crossings, and pointed out that Obama’s Homeland Security secretary, Jeh Johnson, had said only 1,000 migrants per day “overcome the system.” “
No one has yet been able to review the bill, but Scott warned that codifying any aspect of Biden’s current immigration policy could make it “difficult” for the next Republican president to close the border.
Regardless of their vote, Scott added that the bill will most likely be “dead on arrival in the House.”
“The only purpose of taking this matter is to get the political cover of the Democrats to say, ‘Holy shit, we want to secure the border. But those pesky House Republicans won’t let us,’” added Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas).
“It’s a good thing to talk about. It is complete baloney. But it’s a good talking point. This bill represents the Senate Republican leadership waging war on the House Republican leadership.”
US Customs and Border Protection has detained more than 8.5 million immigrants since January 2021 — with 7 million of those encounters occurring at the southern border. At least another 1.5 million migrants have completely evaded detection.
About 85% of those asylum seekers are later released to the US, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas has reportedly acknowledged, as he faces possible House impeachment over alleged mishandling of the crisis.
US Customs and Border Protection has detained more than 8.5 million immigrants since January 2021 — with 7 million of those encounters occurring at the southern border. Reuters
“The only language I’ve seen come through, in terms of their additional requests, is that the White House is asking for the ability to ‘reprogram,'” Sen. Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.) told Fox Business on Wednesday.
“That’s Washingtonspeak for reversing the entire budget [Immigration and Customs Enforcement], to change ICE from a law enforcement agency to a resettlement agency,” he added. “They are very unserious; it’s sad.”
Sen. James Lankford (R-Okla.), who has led negotiations with Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) and Kyrsten Sinema (I-Ariz.), told reporters Tuesday that the full text of the bill could be released later. week.
A vote could then take place within days, with 60 senators needed to advance legislation.
In a statement Tuesday, House Speaker Mike Johnson said Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris “cannot be trusted to solve the catastrophe they themselves created.” AP
Schumer and the White House have accused both hardline GOP senators and Johnson of stalling his progress, as the House speaker faces intense pressure from the right wing of his caucus.
“Both sides must accept that they’re not going to get everything they want,” Schumer warned. “This means that maximalist demands, stonewall tactics and attempts to sabotage negotiations before they are completed must be shunned by the membership of this body.”
In a statement Tuesday, Johnson said Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris “cannot be trusted to solve the catastrophe they themselves created.”
“Vice President Harris has three years to secure the border and stop the open flow of illegal immigrants into our country,” he said in response to a recent CNN interview about Harris.
“Yet, when asked about his solution, he recommended that Congress grant massive amnesties and spend taxpayer dollars processing — not detaining — more illegals. His ‘solution’ is to spend billions of additional taxpayer dollars and give an incentive to lawlessness and chaos,” Johnson added.
“Their idea is to attract millions more aliens, cause more pain, and further surrender America’s national security and economy.”
Categories: Trending
Source: thtrangdai.edu.vn/en/
