The second bill includes $60 billion in assistance for Ukraine and $14.1 billion for Israel.
A controversial foreign assistance package that includes border security measures failed to pass a procedural vote in the Senate on Feb. 7.
The bill failed to garner the 60 votes needed to begin debate, with 50 senators voting against its advancement, and 49 voting in the affirmative.
The only Republicans who voted in favor of beginning debate on the bill were Sens. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), Susan Collins (R-Maine), Mitt Romney (R-Utah), and the deal’s top GOP negotiator James Lankford (R-Okla.)
The only Democrats who voted against starting debate were Sens. Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), and Robert Menendez (D-N.J.). Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), who caucuses with the Democrats also voted against its advancement. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) switched his vote to no for procedural reasons.
The bill’s defeat was expected after mounting opposition from Senate Republicans who took issue with the border policies, forcing Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) to acknowledge yesterday that the bill has no chance of becoming law.
The Senate will now proceed to consider advancing a national security package that contains funding for Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan, without any border provisions.
“Republicans said they would only do Ukraine and Israel, humanitarian aid with border. Then they said they would not do it with [the] border,” Mr. Schumer told reporters ahead of the vote.
“Well, we’re going to give them both options. We‘ll take either one. We just hope they can come to ’Yes’ on something.”
The new $95 billion package includes $60 billion in assistance for Ukraine amid its war with Russia, and $14.1 billion for Israel amid its latest conflict with the terrorist group Hamas.
Senate Republicans explained to reporters why they voted against starting debate on the border-Ukraine package. Many took issue with a specific provision that mandated a border shutdown after daily illegal crossings hit 5,000 over a given week.
Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.) said that President Joe Biden already has the authority to shut down the border.
By Jackson Richman and Joseph Lord
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