Bipartisan Senate Talks Resume After Republicans Block Ukraine, Israel Aid Over Border Demands
Summary from the AllSides News Team
Senate negotiations broke down earlier this week over a $110.5 billion bill with aid for Ukraine and Israel, leading Republicans to block the package.
The Details: Senators are running out of time to pass the bill before Congress’ holiday recess, and the White House has warned that the U.S. would run out of currently-appropriated funding for Ukraine by the end of the year. While bipartisan talks have resumed, a Democratic source told NBC News (Lean Left bias) there was “still a lot of daylight between the two sides.”
Points of Agreement: Both Democratic and Republican Senate leaders support funding aid to Ukraine and Israel in a package proposed by President Joe Biden following Hamas’ October 7 attack.
Key Disagreements: Senate Republicans want to use the bill to tighten asylum screening standards, substantially expand immigration detention for asylum seekers, allow border officials to send asylum seekers to other “safe” countries, and limit the “humanitarian parole” status the Biden administration has used to accept hundreds of thousands of refugees from Ukraine and elsewhere. Before the failed Wednesday vote, Biden said he could accept “significant compromises” on the border, but also said, “Republicans think they get everything they want, without any bipartisan compromise. That’s not the answer.” On Thursday, Republicans reportedly doubled down on their demands and called on Biden to get directly involved.
How the Media Covered It: Some coverage from left-rated outlets framed Republicans as “jeopardizing” Ukraine. Some coverage from right-rated outlets was skeptical of Biden’s call for compromise on his Ukraine “bailout.”
Featured Coverage of this Story
From the Left
Senators resume bipartisan border talks tied to Ukraine and Israel funding
A bipartisan group of senators resumed border talks Thursday, offering faint hope that Congress can craft and pass a broad legislative package that would include aid for Israel and Ukraine before the end of the year.
The lead negotiators — Sens. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., and James Lankford, R-Okla. — met Thursday afternoon, Lankford and a Democratic source familiar with the negotiations told NBC News.
The meeting did not yield a final result, but a new proposal was discussed, both said. It took place in the basement hideaway office of Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, I-Ariz., who has also...
From the Center
US Lawmakers Running Out of Time to Pass Ukraine Aid, Border Security Funding
With just four working days left before its holiday recess, the U.S. Congress is no closer to passing the White House's $60 billion request for aid to Ukraine.
Lawmakers are running out of time to negotiate a deal on border security that Republicans say must be included to overcome their concerns about funding foreign conflicts while leaving domestic priorities unaddressed.
"This is about securing our border so we can then help our allies," Republican Senator Lindsey Graham told reporters Thursday.
Graham called on President Joe Biden to enforce existing immigration...
From the Right
Biden insists he’s open to compromise on border policy to secure Ukraine aid
BIDEN: ‘I’M WILLING TO DO SIGNIFICANTLY MORE’: With Republicans in Congress blocking military assistance to Ukraine amid a bitter partisan divide over securing the southwestern border, President Joe Biden insists he’s ready to deal.
In remarks before every Republican in the Senate voted to defeat a procedural vote on his $110 billion emergency supplemental appropriations request, Biden argued that without the $61 billion earmarked for Ukraine, Russian President Vladimir Putin will be handed a victory he can’t achieve on the battlefield.
“We can’t let Putin win,” Biden said. “Any disruption in our ability to supply...
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