WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) – Lawmakers are scrambling to revive a border bill, after House Republicans rejected the Senate’s national security supplemental package.
“We are not going to be forced into action by the Senate, who in the latest product they sent us over, does not have one word in the bill about America’s border, not one word about security,” House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) said.
Speaker Johnson says House Republicans are instead exploring other border security options, one that Rep. Mark Green (R-Tenn.) says adequately addresses the border crisis.
“The action is not dead,” Rep. Green said. “People are working right now to get us to something that maybe the Senate will be okay with.”
But Senator Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) warns if the bill isn’t bipartisan, it’s back to square one, and he says border communities need the help now.
“Our border is in shambles,” Senator Graham said. “So I want my House colleagues to send over something tough, but that has a prayer of getting through the Senate.”
Senator Graham says to stress the urgency of a border bill, he canceled his trip to Germany this weekend to instead go to Eagle Pass, Texas.
“I’m going to Texas with the purpose of trying to find a solution to the broken border, push the Senate and the House and Biden administration to do something,” Graham said.
However, some Democrats fear the border security demands will derail aid to Ukraine. Rep. Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) and his democratic colleagues are urging House Republicans to take up the Senate-passed $95 billion foreign aid package while border talks continue.
“Refusal to do so is causing Ukrainians to die,” Rep. Hoyer said. “Mr. Speaker you are preventing the people’s house from working its will as the Senate did.”
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