On Sunday, February 4, the American Senate reached an agreement between Democrats and Republicans to announce new aid to Ukraine and Israel and to tighten the United States’ migration policy. President Joe Biden called for the text to be “Rapidly Adopted”.
The deal, totaling $118.3 billion in funding, includes $60 billion for Kiev’s war effort against Russian aggression and $14.1 billion for Israel, according to a summary released by Senate Appropriations Committee Chairwoman Patty Murray. It also provides a $20.2 billion envelope for immigration policy reforms, the subject of heated debate between Republican and Democratic negotiators.
The publication of the text was quickly approved by the White House, highlighting a decades-long effort to reform the immigration system. “failed” from the country
“We reached a bipartisan national security agreement that includes the strongest and fairest immigration reform in decades. I strongly support it.”Joe Biden responded, in a press release, urging Congress“Adopt Fast”. It is necessary“Bring it to my desk so I can announce it right away”he added.
A deadlock is expected in the House of Representatives
Adoption of the 370-page bill, however, is far from assured as Republicans in the House of Representatives increasingly oppose sending new funds to Ukraine.
The text must receive the consent of at least sixty parliamentarians to pass the first procedural vote in the Senate, which is expected on Wednesday at the latest.
Biden urged Republicans, who control the House of Representatives, to support the bipartisan agreement, despite calls not to do so by his presumptive nominee for the White House, Donald Trump. “If you believe, as I do, that we need to secure the border now, doing nothing is not an option.”He declared.
The United States, until now Ukraine’s primary military backer, has struggled for months to ratify the envelope, which was demanded insistently by President Joe Biden and his counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky.
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Two years after the start of the embroiled war — and more than $110 billion already released by Congress — Republicans, in particular, began to find the bill too high.
Aware that the sense of urgency in Washington has waned since the war began in 2022, President Biden asked Congress in October to combine his request for aid for Ukraine with others in the war against Israel, an ally of the United States. Palestinian Islamist group Hamas.
He also wants to include drastic reforms to the United States’ immigration policy, a politically hot topic, more so in the middle of an election year.
To be adopted, the package must be approved in the Senate, where it should theoretically have the support of elected officials from both parties, then in the House of Representatives. This is where things get complicated. Its president, Speaker Mike Johnson, a loyal supporter of Donald Trump, warned in late January that as things stand, there will be a vote on new funding for aid to Ukraine as well as for strengthening the border with Mexico. “Still Born”. But then he seemed to change his mind, telling Fox Business last Friday that he “Nothing Prejudiced”.
Since the beginning of the conflict, the Kremlin has been banking on a reduction in Western aid, and any hesitation from Kiev’s allies reinforces Russia’s belief that its bet will be a winner. In late December, the United States released its last tranche of military aid available to Ukraine.
Significant restrictions on immigration
On the issue of immigration, Mr. Biden emphasizes a firm approach but more “Humanitarian” than his predecessor, whose controversial actions caused families to be separated at the US-Mexico border.
The text provides for more severe restrictions on the system for processing asylum applications and breaks when crossings exceed 5,000 people per week.
“This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to close our open border and give the next administration the effective tools it needs to end border chaos and secure our country.”Senator James Lankford of Oklahoma, the lead Republican negotiator, acknowledged in a statement.
Democratic Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer called the bill a “A monumental step toward strengthening US national security abroad and at our borders”.
