It was a “no” in the Senate on Wednesday to a massive Lernaean Hydra of a bill that would have provided weapons for Ukraine, aid to Israel, support to Taiwan, and a border package that many said was intentionally flawed in a way that would allow millions of illegals to continue to cross the border.
It started out as a border bill, but before it hit the Senate floor, there was something for everyone, including a $118 billion bill for American taxpayers.
The bill needed 60 votes to pass, but only received 49. Among the Republicans who voted for the bill was Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, along with the Republicans’ lead bill negotiator Sen. James Lankford of Oklahoma, Susan Collins of Maine, and Mitt Romney of Utah.
Some Democrats voted against it: Sens. Alex Padilla of California, Bob Menendez of New Jersey, Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, Ed Markey of Massachusetts, and Bernie Sanders, who is technically an independent, of Vermont.
Sen. Dan Sullivan of Alaska issued a statement about the bill and why he voted against it.
“On day one, the Biden administration created this border crisis with their self-imposed open border policies,” Sen. Sullivan said. “In the last three years, Americans in all fifty states have felt the impacts of this administration’s decision to do nothing, month after month, year after year, as the crisis on our southern border quickly became the largest invasion of illegal aliens in American history. It is a humanitarian, health, and national security crisis of epic proportions. President Biden has refused to act and use the tools already at his disposal, and now, Senate Democrats have refused to force his hand.”
He said the time frame for evaluating the bill was inadequate for lawmakers.
“Despite the hard work of Senator Lankford, this bill appears to give broad discretion to the President, leaving open the possibility that President Biden will not secure the border as intended by this bill. Indeed, the last three years are strong evidence that he won’t,” he said.
Biden told reporters that it was Donald Trump’s fault that the bill didn’t pass.
It’s doubtful that the bill could have passed the House, where support for Ukraine is a contentious issue.
