Senate negotiators on Sunday released the text of the much-anticipated border deal that lawmakers have been hashing out with White House officials since December, incorporating significant reforms, including a crackdown on asylum and parole.
Talks have been ongoing for months as a bipartisan group of lawmakers — Sens. James Lankford, Krysten Sinema, and Chris Murphy — have tried to strike a deal with White House officials to fix the crisis at the southern border. The deal would be included in supplemental spending that includes billions in foreign assistance to Ukraine and Israel.
Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., conducts a news conference after the senate luncheons in the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday, June 21, 2023. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)
The agreement holds the potential to allocate $60 billion to Ukraine and $14 billion to Israel, yet its passage through the House appears doubtful. House Republicans have deemed the bill a non-starter unless it incorporates essential components from H.R.2, the House GOP border bill. With Senate Democrats dismissing H.R.2, tensions persist.
Meanwhile, Johnson vowed to put $17.6 billion in emergency funding on the House floor next week to give Israel assistance.
In the Biden administration’s original supplemental request, officials sought over $100 billion in funding, including $14 billion for the border. But Republicans demanded limits on migrant releases into the interior, including the use of parole, and negotiators have been attempting to find a compromise.
“While the Senate appears poised to finally release the text of their supplemental package after months of behind closed doors negotiations, their leadership is aware that by failing to include the House in their negotiations, they have eliminated the ability for swift consideration of any legislation,” Johnson said.
Migrants gather outside of the Roosevelt Hotel where dozens of recently arrived migrants have been camping out as they try to secure temporary housing on August 02, 2023 in New York City. (Alexi Rosenfeld/Getty Images)
Sen. Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said a vote on the package could come as early as Wednesday.
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