Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell waved a rhetorical white flag Tuesday, admitting that the bipartisan spending package was doomed less than 48 hours after its language was revealed.
“It became very clear to us. [House] speaker [Mike Johnson] It won’t become law,” the 81-year-old Kentucky resident candidly admitted to reporters.
“To me and most members, it looks as if there’s no real chance for legislation here,” McConnell added.
After two days of protests among conservatives over the $118 billion bill, Republican leaders bowed to political reality. On the Senate side, McConnell’s aides Steve Daines (Montana) and John Barrasso (Wyoming) have voiced opposition, and House Republican leaders have been outspoken on Monday about conservative conservatives over the $118 billion bill. expressed opposition. Enacting the bill would be a “waste of time.”
The proposal, scheduled for a Senate procedural vote Wednesday, includes $20 billion set aside for border security, $650 million for border wall construction, and more than 5,000 migrant encounters. It includes Title 42-style authority to close borders in cases. Daily average for one week.
That number wasn’t low enough for border hawks in the Republican Party. Like Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas)He suggested Tuesday that McConnell should be ousted as majority leader over the ordeal.
“I followed the instructions of the press conference,” a visibly shaken McConnell told reporters. “In fact, it was my side that wanted to stand up to the border. We started it.
“Obviously, with a Democratic president and a Democratic Senate, our negotiators have had to deal with them.”
McConnell said Republican negotiator James Lankford (Oklahoma) did a “great job” in the sit-down with Sens. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) and Kyrsten Sinema (Ariz.). added.
“Condemning the Border Council for supporting President Trump certainly emphasizes that it was a quality product,” the minority leader said, referring to support for the Border Patrol. Stated. “Things have changed in the last four months.”
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) insisted that “this is not the last time Republicans will hear from us” on the issue.
“We’re going to continue to do that. There’s going to be a vote tomorrow,” the Democratic leader said. “We will continue to move forward. Stay tuned.”
The moribund bill also includes $60 billion in military aid to Ukraine, $14 billion in military aid to Israel, and $10 billion in humanitarian aid to Gaza, the West Bank and other war-torn areas. McConnell expressed optimism Thursday that Congress could approve these measures. Separately.
“There are other very important parts of this supplement,” the Republican leader said. “Ukraine, Israel, Taiwan, I still think we should address the rest of the countries, because they matter. It’s not that borders don’t matter, but we don’t get results. So we I think that’s where we should go, and if we don’t actually go that way, it’s up to Senator Schumer to decide how to repackage this.”
At the White House, a clearly frustrated President Biden (who enjoyed a Democratic House and Senate for the first two years of his term) said former President Donald Trump had incited Republicans on Capitol Hill to oppose the deal. “Donald Trump told them: It is necessary to maintain border chaos. I think that’s very unfortunate for this country as a whole. ”
“I want to be absolutely clear about something if the bill is defeated,” the 81-year-old added. “The American people are going to know why we failed. I’m going to take this issue nationally, and the voters are going to know.”
“What’s happened here over the last four months is outrageous,” an exasperated Murphy told reporters. “There used to be a difference between the Senate Republican caucus and the House Republican caucus.”
“There’s no difference anymore. They’re just as dysfunctional. They’re just as tied to President Trump.”
