Staff Reports
In a classified briefing discussing increased foreign aid for the wars in Ukraine and Israel, Republican senators Tom Cotton and Mitt Romney found themselves in agreement that the meeting achieved the opposite effect of progress. Senator Josh Hawley described the briefing as the most heated he had ever seen and pointed out that senators don’t usually scream at each other in front of the secretary of defense. However, this briefing seemed to be an exception.
Senate Republicans to Block Schumer's Ukraine Funding Plan After Classified Briefing Turns Into Screaming Match via @WestJournalism https://t.co/utOHL63SAa
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Senator Hawley also mentioned that many Republican senators wanted to discuss the border, but Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer preferred not to address it. Schumer claimed that the “heated disagreement” began when Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell raised questions about border security that the panelists were not prepared to address.
During the briefing, it seemed that no one was able to answer questions about U.S. border security, which was a topic included in President Joe Biden’s supplemental bill submitted to Congress. Schumer blamed McConnell for injecting the border discussions into the talks, but Senator Tom Cotton disputed this, stating that it was Biden who sent a bill with border provisions.
Some Republican senators felt that the briefing was a waste of time, especially since no one was present from the Department of Homeland Security to discuss enhanced border security. Senator Kevin Cramer even mentioned that people got up and walked out of the briefing. Senator Mitt Romney emphasized that Republicans were willing to help Ukraine and Israel, but they wanted the Democrats to address the open border issue.
Overall, the briefing highlighted the significant differences between the two parties on the issue of foreign aid and border security. Republicans have vowed to filibuster President Biden’s funding package due to a lack of sufficient immigration restrictions, while bipartisan talks on immigration policy changes recently fell apart.
