Stalemate persists as Congress faces crucial week of emergency aid package talks
Congress remains deadlocked on a critical emergency aid package, as negotiations stall over tying immigration and border policy changes The funding for Ukraine and Israel hangs in the balance before Congress adjourns for the holidays
Congress is still far from reaching a deal as a crucial week of negotiations looms. Republican Sen. James Lankford and Democratic Sen. Chris Murphy are leading the discussions on immigration and border policies, and have confirmed that talks are ongoing. This comes ahead of lawmakers leaving for the holidays, with emergency aid for Ukraine and Israel at stake.
"We're currently in the room grappling with the requests made by Republicans," Murphy stated on NBC's "Meet the Press." "We refuse to enshrine Donald Trump's immigration policies into law. It would be detrimental to the country. However, we must take action to address the crisis at the border."
Describing this stage in the negotiations as "one of the most perilous moments" in American history, Murphy cautioned about the national security consequences of failing to reach an agreement.
"Republicans are currently delighting Vladimir Putin with their insistence that we reach an immigration reform deal. If we don't, they are suggesting they will allow Putin to march into Ukraine and potentially into Europe," the Connecticut Democrat stated on NBC.
On a different note, the White House announced that President Joe Biden will be hosting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Tuesday. Press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre stated, "The leaders will discuss Ukraine's urgent needs and the vital importance of the United States' continued support at this critical moment."
Last week, the president communicated his willingness to reach a compromise with Republicans on border security. Both parties have indicated their readiness to make a deal, but little progress has been made. House Republicans insist on sticking closely to the House-passed border bill, HR 2, a position that many Democrats are not willing to consider. Despite the political challenges, Lankford remains optimistic about the progress made in the negotiations.
"We have made significant progress and it's time to bring this to a conclusion by making a decision and taking action to support our nation. While we can't address all border issues, we can implement measures that effectively manage the border, ensuring that the United States, not the cartels, has control over our boundaries," the Oklahoma Republican stated on CBS "Face the Nation."
"The Biden administration initially proposed a national security package encompassing Israel, Ukraine, Taiwan, and the border," Lankford added. "Currently, the focus is more on political maneuvering rather than addressing the real issues at hand."
In a separate interview on CBS Sunday, White House budget director Shalanda Young suggested that a deal was still possible, but also cautioned that negotiations could be derailed by uncompromising demands. "In negotiations, you can't have everything your way. Both Democrats and Republicans need to support this bill. It's time to make a deal that is acceptable to both sides," Young stated.
If Congress fails to reach a deal before leaving for the holidays, the White House will face difficult decisions about providing support to allies like Ukraine, possibly impacting US military readiness. For weeks, top Biden administration officials have been warning about the possibility of Ukraine running out of funding and the resulting fallout.
Murphy, the primary Democratic negotiator, also presented a general idea of a potential compromise for the package.
"We do not want to close off the United States of America to individuals seeking rescue from dangerous and miserable circumstances that put their lives in jeopardy," Murphy stated. "We will not support any measures that completely shut down the border to those who legitimately seek to have their lives saved. However, we are open to discussing stricter regulations to prevent the arrival of ten thousand people per day."
This story has been revised to include new developments.
