The Senate’s $118 billion spending package, of which more than $60 billion would go to Ukraine, allows 1.5 million illegal migrants into the country per year, hobbles states like Texas by requiring legal challenges be arbitrated in DC courts, and funds NGOs who facilitate human trafficking to the tune of billions, is ‘dead on arrival’ according to House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA).
The bill’s most ardent supporters are a coalition of establishment all-stars, including Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, and lead GOP negotiator, Sen. James Lankford (R-OK) – who was censured last week by the Oklahoma GOP for striking such a crappy border deal with Sens. Chris Murphy (D-CT) and Kyrsten Sinema (I-AZ).
As Punchbowl News puts it, the bill’s Sunday night release was like “pouring gasoline on the fire that is the Senate GOP internal war,” as “Senators and aides publicly and privately questioned whether a majority of the Republican Conference would back it.” Some GOP Senators and outside conservative groups even called for an immediate leadership change over the package.
During a Sunday evening press call, Lankford said critics of the proposal had already come out against it before the text was released.
“If we have a crisis on our southern border, and we do… we should address that and do what we can to be able to solve that problem — not just hope that the problem gets better or hope that an election solves the issue,” Lankford said – completely ignoring the fact that President Joe Biden could close the border with the stroke of a pen, today, without $60 billion going to Ukraine and 5,000 migrants allowed in per day.
Lankford said in response to these statements that he’s “a little confused… at how it could be ‘worse than expected.’” The Oklahoma Republican added he wants to huddle with the speaker’s team. Of course, Johnson’s statement will undoubtedly cause some on-the-fence GOP senators to vote against the bill.
“We’re at the beginning points of information,” Lankford asserted, dismissing the House GOP criticisms. “There are some people who just read Facebook posts… They made their decision based on the Facebook posts, not the text.”
Conservatives flatly reject
According to Donald Trump, “We need a Separate Border and Immigration Bill. It should not be tied to foreign aid in any way, shape or form.”
In addition to Johnson, House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-LA) said “The Senate Border Bill will NOT receive a vote in the House,” while Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) voiced outrage as well along with Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO).
This guy, who dropped the dime on President Trump for asking Ukraine about obvious Biden corruption – and was once offered a job as their defense minister – is livid that more people aren’t supporting this open-border package that sends $60 billion to his favorite country and weakens US national security.
Motherfucking traitors. @SteveScalise @HouseGOP will own this. Every one of these anti-American politicians will be defeated sooner than later. https://t.co/iUFOg7bVJQ
— Alexander S. Vindman ❎ (@AVindman) February 5, 2024
According to Schumer, the first procedural vote on the bill will happen on Wednesday, which will mark a critical test.
We expect several progressives to oppose the plan as well. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) did so on Sunday due to the Israel funding. Hispanic lawmakers and pro-immigration groups such as the ACLU are already taking aim at the changes to immigration policy. Sen. Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) called it a “new version of Trump-era policies that will cause more chaos at the border.” -Punchbowl
