WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) – The Senate returns to Washington this week, hopeful they can work out a deal to secure the southern border and provide more money to Ukraine and Israel.
There seems to be consensus on this in the Senate, but the House is less certain.
“We have been urging our Republican colleagues now for the last couple of months and before that for a long time to come to the table and strike a bipartisan deal on the border and immigration,” said Sen. Maggie Hassan, D-Hampshire.
Last year, Republicans conditioned more Ukraine money on getting a deal done to secure the southern border.
“Without specific language to evaluate. None of us can commit to a deal. Ukraine funding and the border issue are tightly tied and so you can’t have one without the other,” said Sen. Cynthia Lummis, R-Wyoming.
For months, tens of thousands of migrants have crossed into the U.S. illegally, overwhelming border towns and major U.S. cities.
Now, Senate Republicans and Democrats seem to have worked out a deal to more thoroughly secure the border, plus fund Ukraine and Israel.
“I am optimistic that we are very close to finalizing in the coming days a package that will make that possible,” said Sen. Chris Coons, D-Delaware.
But the wild card remains the House, with hard-right conservatives and former President Donald Trump urging House Speaker Mike Johnson to reject any deal that Democrats propose.
Johnson has said he doesn’t think now is the time for a compromise deal, leading some to wonder if any agreement would get passed.
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