On Tuesday, February 6, the main Republican in the US Senate Mitch McConnell, in fact, declared dead the immigration bill, to which it was tied, including assistance to Ukraine worth more than $60 billion.
Politico writes about this.
McConnell bluntly told reporters that they “no real chance of passing the law“.
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The Senate Minority Leader emphasized that the package of additional measures on national security — including changes in border policy, as well as assistance to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan — there are parts that he thinks are worth revisiting. On Tuesday morning he was still advocating aid for Ukraine.
But after four months of negotiations on border policy that McConnell personally called for and repeatedly supported, the Senate GOP leader said a deal between Democrats and Republicans lacks support in his party. He also noted that the House Republican leadership is opposed.
— We had a very active discussion about whether this product could ever become law. And the Speaker (House Mike Johnson, — Ed.) has made it clear to us that it will not become law, — McConnell said after Tuesday's Senate party luncheon.
The remarks come a day before Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer plans to hold a procedural vote to begin debate on the bill. Schumer, speaking shortly after McConnell broke the news, said Senate Democrats expressed “anger” and “deep disappointment” due to the Republican position at Tuesday's lunch.
— Leader McConnell and the Republican Conference have made a 180-degree turn. They are shaking at the knees with fear of Donald Trump, — Schumer said.
As Politico notes, the question now is whether the Senate will return to a separate aid package for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan. The White House originally asked for the package last fall, along with funding for border control, but Republicans demanded that significant changes to border policy be added to the deal in exchange for aid to Ukraine. McConnell on Tuesday said Democratic leadership must “rework” these provisions on foreign assistance.
Schumer did not specify whether he would return to the bill, which deals only with aid to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan.
It is noteworthy that on Tuesday US President Joe Biden made a speech to congressmen, who accused Republican Donald Trump of putting pressure on representatives of the Republican Party in the US Congress and preventing the approval of the border bill, including including, and assistance for Ukraine.
Biden also threatened Republicans with consequences, calling on them to put the signed immigration bill on his desk.
