Speaker Mike Johnson, a Republican from Louisiana, informed members of the House GOP conference that a speculated bipartisan Senate agreement involving aid to Ukraine and policies on the southern border would not succeed in the House of Representatives.
Senate negotiators have been diligently working to finalize a deal that would provide support to Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan, while simultaneously addressing the migration issues at the southern border. Johnson, in a letter to his House colleagues on Friday, updated them on the situation, particularly focusing on the lack of progress in the Senate.
Johnson’s letter, as reported by Politico, stated that if the rumors about the draft proposal’s contents were accurate, the plan would have been dismissed in the House from the outset.
The central figures in the negotiations, Senators James Lankford (R-Okla.), Kyrsten Sinema (I-Ariz.), and Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), have indicated that they plan to reveal the bill’s text early the following week.
Johnson, along with other conservative Republicans, has repeatedly expressed dissatisfaction with the rumored details of the deal. He reiterated in his letter, as reported by Politico, that House Republicans will strongly resist any new policy from the White House or Senate that encourages illegal immigration.
According to CNN, an aide to House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.) informed Senate Republican chiefs of staff that any bipartisan agreement combining border enforcement and aid for Ukraine would be unlikely to pass in the House if it included certain provisions. These provisions include work permits for asylum seekers and increased authority for expelling migrants, which would be activated only when border crossings surpass a daily threshold of 5,000 people.
President Joe Biden, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) have been striving for months to negotiate a deal to provide wartime assistance to Ukraine.
Former President Donald Trump, considered the leading contender for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, is expected to oppose the agreement, according to reports from The Associated Press and The Hill. The deal reportedly does not sufficiently address border issues for Trump.
In a private Republican meeting, McConnell recognized Trump’s opposition and suggested alternative approaches, including the possibility of separating the issues of Ukraine and the border. McConnell, speaking to reporters, stated, “We’re still working on it,” as reported by AP.
