Border Security Dispute Threatens Passage of Senate’s Foreign Aid Bill, Says House Speaker

House Speaker Mike Johnson cautioned on Monday that he might withhold the extensive foreign aid bill currently under consideration in the Senate from a vote, citing its failure to address border security concerns. Johnson emphasized that the lower chamber would independently address the issue.

Despite the bill’s passage through three procedural votes in the Senate on Monday night, Republican-led efforts to impede its progress have delayed a final vote, potentially until early Tuesday morning. The legislation allocates $95 billion in aid to Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan.

The Senate’s strenuous efforts on the bill, which compelled senators to remain in Washington over the Super Bowl weekend and through a planned two-week recess starting Monday, risk being futile. Johnson underscored that the bill’s exclusion of border security provisions, deemed crucial by the House speaker, was a major point of contention.

“Hous Republicans were unequivocal from the outset that any national security supplemental legislation must prioritize border security,” Johnson, representing Louisiana, stated. He highlighted the House’s enactment of the Secure Our Border Act ten months prior and lamented the Senate’s failure to address the issue adequately.

Johnson commended the Senate’s rejection of a bipartisan bill last week, negotiated between Biden administration officials and senators, which aimed to link aid for Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan with enhanced border security measures and alterations to US asylum law. He criticized the bill as “insufficient” and argued for its revision to include substantive border security provisions.

“The Senate’s foreign aid bill neglects the paramount issue confronting our nation,” Johnson asserted. He stressed the American public’s expectation of securing the country’s borders before disbursing additional foreign aid worldwide.

“In the absence of any meaningful border policy changes from the Senate, the House will take the initiative to address these critical matters,” Johnson concluded.