US Senate Republicans block border security bill for 2nd time
Proposal failed in 43 - 50 vote, far short of 60 votes needed to advance it in upper chamber
Border patrol officers take security measures as migrants trying to cross the Mexico-United States border to seek humanitarian asylum cut through razor wire despite high security measures in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico on January 31, 2024
WASHINGTON
The US Senate failed Thursday for a second time to pass a revived bipartisan border security bill that Republicans blocked in February.
The proposal failed in a 43-50 vote, far short of the 60 votes needed to advance it in the upper chamber.
"Senate Republicans again rejected the strongest, most comprehensive bipartisan border bill we've seen in decades. A sad day.
"While the GOP isn't interested today in getting this done—we’ll keep trying. It’s too important to our national security, our communities, our country," Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer wrote on X.
He said that it has been 106 days since former President Donald Trump and Republicans blocked the bill, and added that the Republican Party does not have a plan "except exploiting the border for Trump’s political gain."
Schumer, previously said the bill would reform asylum laws, boost staffing at the border, stop the flow of drugs like fentanyl and give emergency powers to shut the border.
House Speaker Mike Johnson made it clear that the bill would be "dead on arrival" if it reached the House of Representatives.
