(USNewsMag.com) – Republicans are uniting against the Democrats’ attempt to resurrect a bipartisan border security package that failed to pass the Senate in February.
Senate Majority Leader and New York Sen. Chuck Schumer, in a May 19th letter, stated he would be bringing an immigration bill that failed to pass the Senate in February to the floor for a vote on May 23rd. He added that he hoped resurrecting the bipartisan legislation that failed in a 49-50 vote would “bring serious-minded Republicans back to the table.”
However, Republicans in both chambers are uniting against the bill, including those who previously supported the legislation negotiated earlier this year by Republican Oklahoma Sen. James Lankford, Democratic Connecticut Sen. Chris Murphy, and Independent Arizona Sen. Kyrsten Sinema.
Senate Republican Leader and Kentucky Sen. Mitch McConnell, who, earlier this year, helped negotiate a border security package attached to a bill including aid for Ukraine, called the Democrats’ resurrection of the failed bill “a gimmick,” noting there was no chance the bill would pass in the Senate or the House.
McConnell informed President Joe Biden that Republicans would not support the bill and urged Biden to use executive actions to address the crisis at the border.
In a statement, Senate Minority Whip and South Dakota Sen. John Thune said Democrats were only “appearing” to act on border security legislation because the border is a political liability for Democrats.
Florida Sen. Rick Scott wrote on Twitter that the revival of the bill is “political theatre” so Democrats can try to blame Republicans “for Biden’s border crisis.”
In a statement, House leadership called the bill “dead on arrival” if it passes in the Senate, which would require 60 votes.
Republicans are not the only ones set to vote against the bill. California Sen. Alex Padilla stated he would not support the legislation, and New Mexico Sen. Ben Ray Luján was still considering how he would vote.
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