In a press conference at the White House, US President Biden evaluated the border security package, which was once again blocked by Republicans in the Senate.
Biden blamed Trump for the Republicans’ refusal to allow this package to come to the Senate General Assembly, saying, “It seems that this bill cannot even come to the Senate General Assembly. And why is that? The answer is simple: Donald Trump. Because Donald Trump thinks this is bad for him politically.”
Arguing that Trump used his influence over Republican members of Congress to prevent this bill from being discussed and debated, Biden expressed his great discomfort that this bill, which would increase the security of the US-Mexico border, was pushed aside.
Clear statement from McConnell
On the other hand, Republican Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell told reporters that he did not see a high probability of the border security package becoming law.
McConnell said that the package was unlikely to become law due to the opposition of some Republican senators in the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Republican Mike Johnson.
Border security and the fate of the Ukraine package
Announcing that the $118 billion package would be taken to the Senate General Assembly on Wednesday, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer had asked for bipartisan support this time.
Some Republican senators, such as Lindsey Graham, have noted that some of the package’s provisions still need to be debated and that it may take time to vote on the bill.
US President Joe Biden, who made a written statement on the package, called on members of Congress to pass the package as soon as possible in order to allocate more resources to increase border security and to send aid to Ukraine and Israel as soon as possible.
In December 2023, an earlier version of the bill was blocked by Republicans in the Senate, leading to a partial slowdown in military aid to Ukraine.
