On Friday’s “NewsNation Now” broadcast, Rep. Mike Levin (D-Calif.) said he was disappointed the Senate border bill didn’t pass, but that Democrats’ decision to reintroduce the bill this week despite knowing it wouldn’t pass was a political move and he wants to work on the issue.
Levin said that before the bill is introduced in Congress, “we should work together to actually get the votes. The unfortunate thing about this bill is, there was a vote in February. … And then Trump killed it, and we knew it was going to die again this week.”
Host Connell McShane then played a video of one of the bill’s authors, Sen. James Lankford (R-Okla.), saying he opposes the bill, saying people should come back to the table to work to get it passed.
“I think he and other Republicans are basically saying that Schumer brought this up as a political defense for Sen. Jon Tester (D-Mont.) and other Democrats who serve in vulnerable states and areas. Isn’t that a legitimate criticism that he thought this might help them?” [are] Are you on the Democratic side of politics now?
Levin responded, “Well, I heard what you just said, Senator Lankford, and I agreed with that. That’s why it’s so important that we try to come together again. It’s not easy when the other side of the House doesn’t seem interested in any kind of bipartisan negotiation anyway. They introduced H.R. 2 without any input from House Democrats, knowing that it would die in the Senate. So I don’t want to smear or blame or point fingers. I think too many politicians from both parties do that. This is a national security issue, and I think it should be bipartisan, Connell.”
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