Republicans set to block vote on Ukraine and Israel aid as they press for stricter border policies – US politics live | Ukraine #Republicans #set #block #vote #Ukraine #Israel #aid #press #stricter #border #policies #politics #live #Ukraine

The Senate has gaveled in for the day, but it’s not clear yet when majority leader Chuck Schumer will hold a procedural vote on approving aid to Ukraine and Israel without the hardline border policies Republicans have demanded:

Schumer would need the support of at least nine Republicans for the vote to succeed, and minority leader Mitch McConnell says he is asking his lawmakers to oppose it:

What are the changes the GOP is demanding when it comes to border policy? While there is some variation among lawmakers, Republicans are generally demanding that Democrats sign on to the Secure the Border Act.

From the start of his presidency, the GOP has criticized Joe Biden for what they call his mishandling of undocumented people crossing the southern border. When they took control of the House earlier this year, they quickly passed the Secure the Border Act, also known as HR 2, which would resurrect some of the hardline policies Donald Trump implemented, and create other new ones.

The bill would force the Biden administration to restart construction of the border wall, while also turning away many asylum seekers and restrict which ones could remain in the United States while their applications are processed. The White House said Biden would veto the bill if it somehow managed to get to his desk, and Democrats in the Senate have shown not interest in approving it, even though the GOP has made its passage, or something like it, the price for supporting Ukraine aid.

As for why the legislation is so disliked by Democrats, here’s what the White House said in May, when they issued their veto threat:

The Administration is limited in what it can achieve by an outdated statutory framework and inadequate resources, particularly in this time of unprecedented global movement. HR 2 does nothing to address the root causes of migration, reduces humanitarian protections, and restricts lawful pathways, which are critical alternatives to unlawful entry.

The bill would cut off nearly all access to humanitarian protections in ways that are inconsistent with our Nation’s values and international obligations. In addition, the bill would make processing less efficient by prohibiting the use of the CBP One mobile application to process noncitizens and restricting DHS’s parole authority, such that successful programs, like “Uniting for Ukraine,” would be prohibited. The bill would also reduce authorized funding for essential programs including the Shelter and Services Program that provides a critical source of funds for state and local governments and reduces pressure at the border.

While we welcome Congress’ engagement on meaningful steps to address immigration and the challenges at the border, this bill would make things worse, not better. Because this bill does very little to actually increase border security while doing a great deal to trample on the Nation’s core values and international obligations, it should be rejected.

The standoff between Republicans and Democrats over aid to Ukraine in border security was months in the making. The seeds were sewn in October, when Joe Biden requested Congress pass a more than $100b bill to assist both Kyiv and Israel, but which quickly ran up against the machinations of Congress, where Republicans at the time were without a leader in the House. Here’s the Guardian’s Joan E Greve with the concise version of the long and winding story that got us to this point:

The White House issued an urgent warning to Congress on Monday, predicting that Ukraine will soon lose ground in its war against Russia without another infusion of financial aid from the US.

“I want to be clear: without congressional action, by the end of the year we will run out of resources to procure more weapons and equipment for Ukraine and to provide equipment from US military stocks,” Shalanda Young, the director of the Office of Management and Budget, wrote in her letter to congressional leaders.

“There is no magical pot of funding available to meet this moment. We are out of money – and nearly out of time.”

In October, the White House asked Congress to approve a $106bn supplemental funding bill that would provide assistance to Ukraine, Israel and allies in the Indo-Pacific while also strengthening border security. However, bipartisan negotiations over that bill have now stalled.

Although previous funding packages for Ukraine have won widespread bipartisan support in Congress, the issue has become increasingly contentious in the Republican-controlled House.

Given hard-right Republicans’ entrenched opposition to additional Ukraine aid, the new Republican House speaker, Mike Johnson, must walk a fine line in his negotiations with the Senate.

Here’s everything you need to know about the path forward for Ukraine aid:

Senate Ukraine briefing flops as Zelenskiy cancels and Republicans walk out

Republicans set to block vote on Ukraine and Israel aid as they press for stricter border policies