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☆ Kyrsten Sinema’s exit puts the spotlight on the Senate’s shrinking pool of dealmakers
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-08 | by ( Lauren Fox | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

For months, the two of them had worked tirelessly alongside Republican Sen. James Lankford of Oklahoma to craft a bipartisan deal on immigration. “The base of each party wants individuals who will fight, but not individuals who will reach across the aisle to get things done,” Republican Sen. Mitt Romney of Utah said. “I’ve seen a shift towards basically really not wanting to do anything,” West Virginia Republican Sen. Shelley Moore Capito said. Last cycle alone saw the retirement of Ohio Republican Sen. Missouri Republican Sen. Roy Blunt, another GOP pragmatist, retired after the 2022 election, replaced by Sen. Eric Schmitt.

Persons: Sen, Kyrsten, Democratic Sen, Chris Murphy, Republican Sen, James Lankford of, Sinema, Murphy, ” Murphy, “, ” Sinema, Donald Trump, Mitt Romney, Joe Manchin, he’d, Romney, Trump, ” Romney, I’ve, ” West Virginia Republican Sen, Shelley Moore Capito, Ohio Republican Sen, Rob Portman, J.D, Vance, Trump . Missouri Republican Sen, Roy Blunt, GOP pragmatist, Eric Schmitt, appropriator Sen, Richard Shelby of, Richard Burr of, Bob Corker, Marsha Blackburn, Anna Moneymaker, we’ve, Lamar Alexander, ”, Tim Kaine, “ We’re, Kari Lake, –, Mark Kelly, ” Corker, Kaine, Todd Young, Thom Tillis, It’s, Brian Schatz, ” Sen, Mark Warner, Nathan Howard, Manchin, John Cornyn of, John Thune of, isn’t Organizations: Democratic, Connecticut, Republican, CNN, Senate, ” West Virginia Republican, Ohio Republican, GOP, Trump . Missouri Republican, Intelligence, Senate Foreign Relations, 118th, Democrat, North Carolina Republican, Getty, America Locations: Arizona, James Lankford of Oklahoma, Utah, Virginia, Ohio, Richard Shelby of Alabama, Richard Burr of North Carolina, Tennessee, Indiana, Hawaii, Washington , DC, John Cornyn of Texas, John Thune of South Dakota, America

☆ Kyrsten Sinema announces she is retiring from the Senate
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-05 | by ( Manu Raju | Clare Foran | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, an Arizona independent, announced Tuesday she will retire at the end of her term this year, blaming growing partisanship and mudslinging in Washington for driving her decision to not run for reelection. “I believe in my approach, but it’s not what America wants right now,” Sinema said, in a video announcing her decision. Democratic Rep. Ruben Gallego of Arizona and former Arizona Republican gubernatorial nominee Kari Lake are among the candidates who had been seeking to challenge Sinema. Sen. Steve Daines of Montana, who chairs the Senate GOP’s campaign arm, told CNN that Sinema’s decision not to run for reelection will help Lake’s candidacy. Senate Republicans initially demanded that any foreign aid package be passed along with border measures, but ultimately turned against the border deal and blocked it amid harsh criticism of the package from former President Donald Trump.

Persons: Sen, Kyrsten, “, ” Sinema, Ruben Gallego, Kari Lake, Sinema, Steve Daines, ” Daines, Jake Tapper, “ I’ve, I’ve, ”, Republican Sen, James Lankford of, Democratic Sen, Chris Murphy of, Donald Trump, Mike Johnson Organizations: America, Democratic, Arizona Republican, CNN, Senate, Democrats, Republicans, Democratic Party, Republican, Senate Republicans, The Locations: Arizona, Washington, Ruben Gallego of Arizona, Montana, James Lankford of Oklahoma, Chris Murphy of Connecticut, Ukraine, Israel

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate's border proposal was one of the toughest bipartisan bills to emerge on the issue in decades. Republicans have campaigned on border security for years, and public frustration is running high with the record number of illegal U.S. border crossings. Cruz’s likely Democratic opponent, Texas Rep. Collin Allred, said he’s already talking about the border deal on the campaign trail. Murphy agreed that Democrats should remain committed to broad immigration reforms, including pathways to citizenship for migrants who are already here. But he argued that may only be possible once Democrats first show voters they are serious about tough border enforcement.

Persons: —, Donald Trump, Chuck Schumer, “, Tom Suozzi, Schumer, New York “, Joe Biden, Biden, Sen, John Cornyn, Republicans aren’t, ”, Suzan, ” Schumer, Mike Johnson, ” Trump, He's, Republican Sen, James Lankford, Trump, Ted Cruz, Cruz, Mitch McConnell, Cruz’s, Collin Allred, he’s, ” Allred, doesn’t, Lois Clinco, “ I’m, Clinco, Connecticut Sen, Chris Murphy, Ro Khanna, ” Khanna, John F, Kennedy, Barack Obama, Todd Schulte, Murphy, Lisa Mascaro, Philip Marcelo Organizations: WASHINGTON, Republican, Republicans, Democratic, Texas Republican, Trump, Washington Democrat, Border Patrol, Democrats, Texas, Texans, New, New York City —, Rep, California Democrat, Associated Press Locations: New York, Texas, South Carolina, Long, Levittown, New York City, Connecticut, United States, California, America, Levittown , New York

☆ McConnell defends push for Ukraine aid amid attacks from Trump wing of GOP: ‘Every argument against this is wrong’
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-14 | by ( Manu Raju | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

“I feel strongly this is in our best interest, America’s best interest and the world’s best interests to do this. Meantime, the House GOP has aligned itself closely with Trump and taken steps that have made some Republican senators uneasy – including impeaching Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas over the problems at the border. But McConnell didn’t think the flap would have much of an impact on Senate races. “I think that every one of these races will hash that out one way or another,” McConnell said. “The age issue is obviously front and center for both candidates,” McConnell said when asked about the matter.

Persons: Mitch McConnell, Donald Trump, McConnell, –, “ It’s, ” McConnell, Trump, Mike Johnson, McConnell harkened, – we’ve, Johnson, “, ” Johnson, I’ve, we’ve, Alejandro Mayorkas, hadn’t, Oklahoma GOP Sen, James Lankford, ”, Tom Suozzi, Biden, Robert Hur’s, ” CNN’s Clare Foran, Morgan Rimmer Organizations: GOP, CNN, Trump, Republican, “, Kentucky Republican, Homeland, Oklahoma GOP, Wall Street, Washington Post, Republicans, Democrats, New, Democrat Locations: Ukraine, Israel, Taiwan, Oklahoma, New York

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate early Tuesday passed a $95.3 billion aid package for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan, pushing ahead after months of difficult negotiations and amid growing political divisions in the Republican Party over the role of the United States abroad. But a bipartisan deal on border security struck by Republican Sen. James Lankford fell apart just days after its unveiling, a head-spinning development that left negotiators deeply frustrated. After the border bill collapsed, the two leaders abandoned the border provisions and pushed forward with passing the foreign aid package alone — as Democrats had originally intended. In an unusually raw back-and-forth, GOP senators who support the aid challenged some of the opponents directly on the floor. Turner posted on X, formerly Twitter, after the trip that “I reiterated America’s commitment to support Ukraine in its fight against Russia.”But Speaker Johnson is in a tough position.

Persons: Vladimir Putin, It’s, ”, Chuck Schumer, Mitch McConnell, Jeff Merkley, Peter Welch of, Sen, Bernie Sanders, Donald Trump, Mike Johnson, Joe Biden's, Schumer, McConnell, “, ” McConnell, Republican Sen, James Lankford, J.D, Vance, Russia's Putin, Putin, Kentucky Sen, Rand Paul, Carolina Sen, Thom Tillis, ” Tillis, ” Sen, Jerry Moran, Moran, Trump, Russia “, Mike Turner, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Turner, Johnson, Kevin McCarthy, ” Johnson, Abigail Spanberger, Zelenskyy, ” Spanberger, Lisa Mascaro, Kevin Freking Organizations: WASHINGTON, —, Republican Party, Ukraine, Republican, Republicans, Sens, Ukraine —, GOP, U.S . Senate, Trump, Ohio Republican, Kentucky, NATO, House Republicans, House Intelligence, Russia, ”, Senate, Virginia Democrat, Associated Press Locations: Ukraine, Israel, Taiwan, United States, U.S, Oregon, Peter Welch of Vermont, Russia, Kyiv, China, Gaza, Ohio, Carolina, Europe, America, Virginia

☆ McConnell’s GOP critics grow louder as party descends into feud over Ukraine and immigration
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-11 | by ( Manu Raju | Lauren Fox | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

Mitch McConnell had long prided himself on maintaining GOP unity during his 17-year tenure as Senate GOP leader. Now they’ve spilled into public view as the Kentucky Republican heads into what could be his final year as leader. “We did what Donald Trump wanted.”With McConnell’s backing, the Senate is now taking a different approach. “Sen Cruz talks every day with his colleagues, and his conversations with fellow senators are confidential,” the Cruz spokesperson said. Sen. Tommy Tuberville, a Republican from Alabama and close Trump ally, said that “everybody” has concerns about McConnell’s handling of the talks.

Persons: Mitch McConnell, That’s, Donald Trump, McConnell, “, Mitch, ”, Sen, Kevin Cramer, “ Mitch, he’s, Cramer, Larry Hogan, ” McConnell, Trump, Alex Brandon, …, I’ve, Josh Hawley, Republican Sen, Rand Paul, what’s, McConnell’s, GOP Sen, James Lankford of, –, Trump –, “ Donald Trump, Mitt Romney, John Cornyn of, John Thune of, John Barrasso of, ” Sen, Ron Johnson of, “ He’s, Florida Sen, Rick Scott, ” “, Ted Cruz, “ McConnell, Chip Somodevilla, Cruz, nodded, “ Cruz, “ Sen Cruz, Mike Rounds, Rounds, ” McConnell’s, Tucker Carlson, ” Romney, Tommy Tuberville, Tuberville, ” CNN’s Morgan Rimmer Organizations: GOP, Kentucky Republican, North Dakota Republican, Republican, Democratic, Senate, 436th Aerial Port Squadron, Dover Air Force Base, Missouri Republican, Republicans, Lankford, Committee, Texas Republican, CNN, Trump, Capitol Locations: Ukraine, Kentucky, Maryland, Delaware, Missouri, James Lankford of Oklahoma, Utah, Israel, Taiwan, Sens, John Cornyn of Texas, John Thune of South Dakota, John Barrasso of Wyoming, Ron Johnson of Wisconsin, Florida, Texas, Washington ,, South Dakota, Alabama

☆ Trump says US should no longer provide foreign aid unless it’s structured as a loan
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-10 | by ( Kate Sullivan | Shania Shelton | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —The day before the Senate is set to begin voting on a $95.3 billion foreign aid package that would provide for Israel and Ukraine, former President Donald Trump on Saturday said the US should stop providing foreign aid unless it is structured as a loan. Trump’s comments come after he launched a torrent of attacks on a $118 billion bipartisan border deal and foreign aid package that Senate Republicans ended up blocking Wednesday. The former president’s comments Saturday suggest the new foreign aid package, on which the Senate is slated to begin procedural votes Sunday, will end up similarly torpedoed. Trump celebrated the failure of the $118 billion bipartisan border deal and foreign aid package at a rally on Saturday. The $95.3 billion foreign aid package the Senate is currently working to pass was advanced on Thursday on a tally of 67 to 32.

Persons: Donald Trump, “, ” Trump, — James Lankford of, Joe, Republican Sen, Rand Paul, Kentucky —, ” Paul, CNN’s Manu Raju, Mike Johnson Organizations: CNN, UNITED STATES, Republicans, Trump, Israel, West Bank, White House, Republican, Senate, Russia Locations: Israel, Ukraine, — James Lankford of Oklahoma, Conway , South Carolina, Russia, Gaza, Trump

☆ Sen. Chris Murphy, who helped broker the failed border security package, says it's 'worrying' that Mitch McConnell couldn't deliver more votes: 'No one is in charge over there'
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-10 | by ( John L. Dorman | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Sen. Chris Murphy said in an interview that "no one" is leading Senate Republicans. "You can't make policy if no one is in charge," Murphy told Politico Magazine. download the app Email address Sign up By clicking “Sign Up”, you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy . "I just think it's really worrying that the leader of the Republican Party can't deliver more than four votes." But despite the setback, Murphy told the magazine he remained a "hopeless optimist" regarding the upper chamber.

Persons: Sen, Chris Murphy, Murphy, —, Chris Murphy of, GOP Sen, James Lankford of, Independent Sen, Kyrsten, Mitch McConnell's, That's, — Sens, Susan Collins of, Lisa Murkowski, Mitt Romney, Lankford —, McConnell, Donald Trump's, … Organizations: Republicans, Politico Magazine, Democratic, Service, Republican, GOP, Independent, Senate, Democrats, — Locations: Chris Murphy of Connecticut, James Lankford of Oklahoma, Arizona, Susan Collins of Maine, Alaska, Utah

☆ Opinion: The border compromise would’ve helped—a lot
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-09 | by ( Fareed Zakaria | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

Today, people come to the border and rather than running away from the law they run toward it. “He is enforcing the laws; the problem is that the laws need to change.”It’s not just the laws. But again, that requires changes to asylum laws. Were it to pass, it might well solve large parts of the border problem — which would not serve him politically. He wrote on social media, “This Bill is a great gift to the Democrats.”The rest of the West is facing a similar challenge and is grappling with how to adjust immigration and asylum laws.

Persons: Fareed Zakaria, Fareed, Read, CNN —, Biden, Joe Biden, Donald Trump, Mike Johnson, Greg Abbott, Ron DeSantis, Elon Musk, Steve Scalise, ”, Trump, “, Oklahoma Sen, James Lankford, ’, ’ ” Trump, David Frum, ” Frum, ” It’s Organizations: CNN, Fareed’s, Democratic Party, Republicans, Texas Gov, Florida Gov, Elon, Oklahoma, Customs Enforcement, Senate, White House, Democratic Locations: Texas, Florida, America

☆ Why Congressional Republicans are imploding before our eyes
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-07 | by ( Brent D. Griffiths | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Look no further than Tuesday night when House Republicans plowed ahead with two votes that they didn't have to hold. AdvertisementAcross the Capitol, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell is facing increasing calls for him to step aside after conservatives nuked a bipartisan border security-Ukraine aid deal that some Republicans themselves said they had wanted. After all, it was Trump who instructed Republicans to kill the bipartisan immigration deal before the text was actually released. "Politics used to be the art of the possible," Sen. Mitt Romney, a Utah Republican, told reporters, per Semafor. "Some of them have been very clear with me that they have political differences with the bill," Lankford said in a floor speech on Wednesday.

Persons: Mike Johnson, befuddled, Al Green, it's, Johnson, Mitch McConnell, nuked, McConnell, Trump, Donald Trump, George W, Bush, Sen, Mitt Romney, We've, James Lankford, Lankford, Joe Biden Organizations: Service, Republicans, Republican Party, Business, GOP, Texas Democrat, Politico, Democratic, Democratic Senate, Utah Republican, Chamber of Commerce, Border Patrol Union, Trump, Oklahoma Republican Locations: Washington, Texas, Ukraine, Iraq, Utah, Oklahoma

☆ As G.O.P. Demolishes Border Deal, One of Its Own Stands in the Wreckage
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-07 | by ( Kayla Guo | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

It was late on a Thursday afternoon in the marbled halls of the Senate, and a small group of negotiators — one Republican, one Democrat and one independent — had just about finished a painstakingly put together border security compromise it took them months to forge. But what should have been a triumphant moment felt more like an ordeal for the lone Republican in the trio. “I feel like the guy standing in the middle of the field in a thunderstorm, holding up the metal stick,” Senator James Lankford, the Oklahoma Republican who was his party’s lead broker of the deal, told reporters last week. The plight of Mr. Lankford, a slim, understated Baptist minister with a neatly combed shock of red hair and a baritone voice that regularly delivers deadpan quips, reflects the extraordinary rise and fall of the border and Ukraine deal that is expected to collapse in a test vote in the Senate on Wednesday — and the political forces within the Republican Party that brought it down.

Persons: —, James Lankford, Lankford Organizations: Senate, Republican, Oklahoma Republican, Republican Party Locations: Ukraine

Senate Republicans blocked a major bipartisan border deal and foreign aid package with assistance for Ukraine and Israel in a key vote on Wednesday amid a torrent of attacks on the bill by former President Donald Trump and top House Republicans. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer plans to force a procedural vote on an emergency aid package for Israel, Ukraine and Taiwan — and drop the border deal. Bob Menendez of New Jersey and Alex Padilla of California have both forcefully attacked the border deal. Schumer has harshly criticized Senate Republicans for opposing the package, accusing them of following Trump’s marching orders. “And instead of standing up to Donald Trump, Senate Republicans are ready to kill our best chance at fixing the border.”“They want amendments?

Persons: Donald Trump, – James Lankford of, Chuck Schumer, Mitch McConnell, Schumer, Mike Johnson, McConnell, Johnson, – Lankford, Sen, Kyrsten, Democratic Sen, Chris Murphy, Sinema, Lankford, Democratic Sens, Bob Menendez, Alex Padilla, Menendez, ” Padilla, “, ” Schumer, ” McConnell, CNN’s Kristin Wilson Organizations: House Republicans, Republicans, White, Republican, Senate GOP, Trump, Democratic, Israel, West Bank, Bob Menendez of New, Senate Republicans, CNN Locations: Ukraine, Israel, – James Lankford of Oklahoma, Trump, Taiwan, Arizona, Connecticut, Russia, Gaza, Bob Menendez of, Bob Menendez of New Jersey, California, America

☆ With Border Deal Doomed, Schumer Pushes Republicans Into Vote on Ukraine and Israel Aid
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-07 | by ( Annie Karni | Karoun Demirjian | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +9 min

But with Mr. Trump’s intervention persuading congressional Republicans to abandon the border deal that they themselves had demanded, Mr. Biden finally has an opportunity to shift from defense to offense. “Joe Biden blamed President Trump for the border crisis that Biden himself created,” said Karoline Leavitt, a spokeswoman for the former president. Mr. Trump made clear that he saw the deal not as a solution but a threat to his bid to reclaim his office. Image Mr. Trump ridiculed the idea that Mr. Biden could deflect blame after three years of failing to secure the border. For three years, Republicans had a clear story line when it came to the border — Mr. Biden either intentionally or incompetently opened the floodgates.

Persons: Biden, Donald J, Trump, Biden’s, “, ”, “ I’ll, MAGA, Donald Trump, ” Mr, “ Joe Biden, Karoline Leavitt, Joe Biden, John Moore, impeaching Alejandro, James Lankford, Christopher S, Murphy, Kyrsten Sinema, Don’t, Doug Mills, Geoffrey Garin, ” Margie Omero, Mark S, ” Scott Jennings, Mr, Jennings Organizations: Democratic, White, Trump, MAGA Republicans, MAGA Republican, CBS News, PBS, NPR, Marist, Republican, Democrat, Democrats, Republican Party, Border Patrol, Patrol, New York Times, Republicans, Center for Immigration Studies, Biden, ” Locations: New York, Illinois, Oklahoma, Connecticut, Arizona

☆ Sen. Lankford says a 'popular commentator' threatened to 'do whatever I can to destroy you' if he negotiated a border deal during a presidential election year
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-07 | by ( Bryan Metzger | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Sen. James Lankford was the top GOP negotiator on the failed border security deal. AdvertisementSen. James Lankford of Oklahoma spoke on Wednesday about the political challenges he's encountered while serving as the top GOP negotiator on a bipartisan border security deal. We'll let the presidential election solve this problem." Lankford went on to say that a "popular commentator" — without naming any names — threatened to "destroy" him if he negotiated the deal during a presidential election year, regardless of what was in it. Advertisement"I will do whatever I can to destroy you, because I do not want you to solve this during the presidential election," Lankford recounted the commentator saying.

Persons: Sen, James Lankford, Lankford, —, he's, “, — Sen, pushback, Israel —, John Barrasso of Organizations: Service, GOP, Fox News Locations: Oklahoma, Ukraine, Israel, John Barrasso of Wyoming

☆ How a botched impeachment laid bare a GOP House that cannot function
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-07 | by ( Stephen Collinson | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

And it raised serious doubts over the GOP’s capacity to pull off another politized maneuver designed to please the former president – an impeachment of President Joe Biden. The malpractice of Johnson’s impeachment team was encapsulated by Democrats outmaneuvering them to bring a shoeless Rep. Al Green, who was recovering from surgery, to the chamber in a wheelchair to cast a dramatic vote. Losing the ability to governThe House GOP meltdown came as this divided, angry Congress’ capacity to govern at the most basic level appears to be imploding. But the most Trumpy wing of the House GOP has other concerns. But Tuesday’s confusion shows that a House majority dominated by extremism and exhibitionism is not an operable majority.

Persons: Mike Johnson’s speakership, –, Alejandro Mayorkas, Donald Trump’s, Joe Biden, outmaneuvering, Al Green, Johnson, Biden, ”, Trump, Oklahoma Sen, James Lankford, – Johnson, Mayorkas, ” It’s, it’s, “, Elise Stefanik, —, Steve Scalise, Kevin McCarthy, California — Organizations: CNN, Homeland, Israel, GOP, House Republicans, Republicans, Democratic, Trump, Congress, Capitol Locations: Ukraine, Taiwan, Oklahoma, Israel, Russia, China, California, New York, Washington, America

“I was embarrassed for our conference, for our party, because we can do better than we did last night,” said GOP Rep. Lance Gooden of Texas. It was a huge mistake,” said GOP Rep. Patrick McHenry of North Carolina, an ally to former Speaker Kevin McCarthy. And the stunning defeat, which prompted a chaotic scene on the House floor, completely overshadowed the Democratic opposition to the Israel bill. “The Democrats played hide and seek with us,” GOP Rep. Carlos Gimenez of Florida told CNN. We’ll put it back up.”For their part, Democrats took a victory lap in their maneuvering that led to a nail-biter vote and embarrassment for House Republicans.

Persons: Alejandro Mayorkas, Troy Nehls, “, we’re, ”, Lance Gooden, GOP Sen, Lisa Murkowski, I’ve, I’m, Nancy Pelosi, George Santos, Pelosi, Ralph Norman of, Patrick McHenry of, Kevin McCarthy, Mike Johnson, “ He’s, Jen Kiggans, Johnson, speakership, ” Johnson, Donald Trump, Mitch McConnell’s, James Lankford of, Kevin Dietsch, Mayorkas, Mike Gallagher of, impeaching Mayorkas, ” Gallagher, Hugh Hewitt, Dan Bishop of, Steve Womack, ” Womack, Mitch McConnell, Chip Somodevilla, they’re, ’, Steve Scalise, Tom Cole of, Al Green of, Carlos Gimenez, “ It’s, Scalise, We’ll, ” Pelosi, ” CNN’s Haley Talbot, Lauren Fox, Sam Fossum Organizations: Homeland, GOP, CNN, Texas, Republican, ”, Republicans, House Democrats, GOP Rep, Caucus, Congress, Navy, Capitol, Getty, Democratic, Democrat, Arkansas Republican, House Republicans Locations: “, Texas, Israel, Alaska, Ralph Norman of South Carolina, Patrick McHenry of North Carolina, Virginia, James Lankford of Oklahoma, Washington , DC, Mike Gallagher of Wisconsin, Dan Bishop of North Carolina, Arkansas, ”, Washington ,, Tom Cole of Oklahoma, Al Green of Texas, Florida

☆ Republicans Against Border Enforcement
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-07 | by ( David Leonhardt | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

The United States has had a porous border with Mexico for decades, and the situation has worsened in the past few years, with more than 10,000 people entering the U.S. on some days. Mayors, governors, and immigration experts — as well as voters — have long urged Congress to fix the problem. And for anybody who has grown cynical about Washington, the plan offered reasons for both surprise and further cynicism. The surprising part is that productive bipartisanship seems to be alive, even on an issue as divisive as immigration. So do the editorial boards of The Washington Post, which leans left, and The Wall Street Journal, which is deeply conservative.

Persons: —, James Lankford, Chris Murphy, Kyrsten, Donald Trump Organizations: Washington, Oklahoma Republican, Connecticut Democrat, The Washington Post, Street Locations: States, Mexico, Oklahoma, Connecticut, Arizona

☆ On the Border, Republicans Set a Trap, Then Fell Into It
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-06 | by ( Carl Hulse | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Congressional Republicans thought they had set a clever trap for Democrats that would accomplish complementary political and policy goals. Their idea was to tie approval of military assistance to Ukraine to tough border security demands that Democrats would never accept, allowing Republicans to block the money for Kyiv that many of them oppose while simultaneously enabling them to pound Democrats for refusing to halt a surge of migrants at the border. But Democrats tripped them up by offering substantial — almost unheard-of — concessions on immigration policy without insisting on much in return. Now it is Republicans who are rapidly abandoning a compromise that gave them much of what they wanted, leaving aid to Ukraine in deep jeopardy, border policy in turmoil and Congress again flailing as multiple crises at home and abroad go without attention because of a legislative stalemate. Even Senator Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, the minority leader and foremost Republican advocate of helping Ukraine, and Senator James Lankford, the Oklahoma Republican who invested months in cutting the border deal, suggested they would vote to block it on the floor in a test vote set for Wednesday.

Persons: flailing, Mitch McConnell of, James Lankford Organizations: Republicans, Oklahoma Republican Locations: Ukraine, Mitch McConnell of Kentucky

In a striking turn of events, Senate Republicans threatened Monday to block a major, bipartisan border security and asylum restrictions package, just one day after their chief negotiator signed off on it. "I would anticipate Wednesday the cloture vote does not pass," Sen. James Lankford, R-Okla., the lead GOP negotiator in the border talks, told reporters after the meeting. Senate Minority Whip John Thune, R-S.D., told reporters that Republicans worry there "hasn't been adequate time" to process the bill yet. The 370-page bill, finalized and released on Sunday, was crafted with the input of Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., who advocated for it on the Senate floor Monday, warning of crises at the southern border and internationally. McConnell told Republicans that if they have reasons to vote against the bill, they could, given that talks on amendments and how to proceed are ongoing, said a source familiar with the meeting.

Persons: Mitch McConnell, Sen, James Lankford, Donald Trump, Joe Biden, Trump, John Thune, It's, McConnell —, —, McConnell, I've, Brian Schatz Organizations: U.S, Capitol, Republicans, GOP, Republican, Radical Left Democrats, Democratic Locations: Washington , U.S, Ky, Ukraine, Israel, Hawaii

☆ Trump and his GOP allies kneecap a border compromise they should have loved
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-06 | by ( Stephen Collinson | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +11 min

Bill would mean a huge change in the lawThe border compromise would represent a dramatic change of immigration law on lines many Republicans have long supported. 2 won only GOP support when it passed the House and all those who voted for it knew there was never a chance it could get through a Democratic Senate and White House. “Any national security package has to begin with the security of our own border,” Johnson said in December. “Only a fool, or a Radical Left Democrat, would vote for this horrendous Border Bill,” the ex-president wrote on Truth Social on Monday. “This is the chaos when Donald Trump is back in charge of the Republican Party,” Murphy told CNN’s Wolf Blitzer.

Persons: Donald Trump’s, Oklahoma’s James Lankford, ”, Dan Bongino, Mississippi Sen, Roger Wicker, Mitch McConnell’s, Mike Johnson, Joe Biden’s, Trump, Alejandro Mayorkas, thrall, Kevin McCarthy, “, ” McCarthy, Lankford, McCarthy, CNN’s Manu Raju, Biden, didn’t, Biden’s, he’d, Barack Obama, George W, Bush, ” McConnell, Bill, Tim Burchett, CNN’s Jake Tapper, ” Johnson, he’s, –, it’s, harangue Biden, ” Trump, imperil Biden’s, Trump . Connecticut Sen, Chris Murphy, Donald Trump, ” Murphy, CNN’s Wolf Blitzer Organizations: CNN, Donald Trump’s Republican Party, White, Trump, Republicans, GOP, Republican, Homeland, Border Patrol, Democratic, California Republican, Senate Homeland Security, Governmental Affairs, Congress, Customs, Department of Homeland Security, ” Tennessee, Radical Left Democrat, Democrats, Republican Party, Trump . Connecticut Locations: Washington, Mississippi, California, Oklahoma, Mexico, H.R, Ukraine, Trump .

☆ Why Capitol Hill is a total failure right now
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-06 | by ( Zachary Wolf | Analysis Zachary B. Wolf | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

CNN —A plague on both these houses:The Senate seems to lack the political will for a bipartisan border deal. The House lacks an effective majority for a partisan impeachment effort as GOP leaders scramble for votes. Except, as the vote approached, they seemed to realize they might not have the votes to impeach Mayorkas after all. The only other time a Cabinet member was impeached, back in 1876, it was with a unanimous House vote. With hours to go before the Mayorkas impeachment vote is set to occur, there is a real possibility it could fail, and it can only pass by the slimmest of margins.

Persons: Joe Biden, Alejandro Mayorkas, Mayorkas, Ken Buck, Ken Buck of Colorado, Tom McClintock of, “ Maladministration, ” Buck, ” McClintock, –, Donald Trump, CNN’s Dana Bash, Sen, James Lankford of, “, ”, “ I’m, ” Lankford, Mike Johnson doesn’t, ” Johnson, Biden Organizations: CNN, Republicans, Democratic, White, House Republicans, Homeland, Senate Democratic, US, Republican, Biden, MAGA Republican Locations: Ukraine, Israel, Taiwan, Mexico, Central, South America, Ken Buck of, Tom McClintock of California, James Lankford of Oklahoma, “

☆ Trump hates the bipartisan immigration-Ukraine deal so much that he's falsely claiming he didn't endorse the GOP senator who helped write it
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-05 | by ( Brent D. Griffiths | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Trump is misleading people about his past support for Republican Sen. James Lankford. Trump endorsed Lankford in 2022, but he's trying to distance himself from him now. Lankford was the lead Republican negotiator for a bipartisan immigration-Ukraine deal that Trump loathes. AdvertisementFormer President Donald Trump took aim at Republican Sen. James Lankford on Monday, falsely claiming he did not previously back the Oklahoman amid a torrent of criticism directed at the bipartisan Ukraine-immigration deal. "I think this is a very bad bill for his career and especially in Oklahoma," Trump told Bongino.

Persons: Trump, Republican Sen, James Lankford, Lankford, —, Donald Trump, Dan Bongino, Sen, Dan Bongino’s, ”, Mike Johnson, Bongino, Tom Coburn, MAGA, Dan, Mitch McConnell, CNN's Jake Tapper Organizations: Republican, Trump, Service, Senate, China, Baptist, Democratic, Republicans Locations: Ukraine, Asia Pacific, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Arizona

Fewer than 24 hours after a long-awaited, bipartisan border deal and foreign aid package was unveiled in the Senate, opposition is rapidly mounting in the chamber – making it increasingly possible the bill will not survive a key vote expected this week. The grim odds facing the bill in the Senate come as former President Donald Trump and House Speaker Mike Johnson have continued to attack the deal, ratcheting up pressure on Senate Republicans to oppose it or risk facing a conservative backlash. So far, 18 Republican senators have publicly criticized the bill, including Montana Sen. Steve Daines, a member of Senate GOP leadership. For all of these reasons I will vote no when the bill is brought to the Senate floor this week,” he said. It’s unclear, however, whether a foreign aid package would be able to pass on its own as many Senate Republicans have demanded tighter border security in exchange for aid to those allies.

Persons: Donald Trump, Mike Johnson, Johnson, hasn’t, Democratic Sen, Chris Murphy of, Sen, Kyrsten, James Lankford of, Montana Sen, Steve Daines, Texas Sen, John Cornyn, ”, New Jersey Sen, Bob Menendez, California Sen, Alex Padilla, Menendez, ” Padilla, Bernie Sanders, Benjamin Netanyahu, ” Lankford, CNN’s Kristin Wilson Organizations: Republicans, Israel, West Bank, Democratic, GOP, Republican, National Republican Senatorial, House Republicans, California, Trump, ICE, Border Patrol Locations: Ukraine, Russia, Gaza, Chris Murphy of Connecticut, Arizona, James Lankford of Oklahoma, Montana, Texas, New Jersey, America, Vermont, United States, Israel

☆ These 20 GOP senators are already opposed to the bipartisan border security proposal — and more could soon join them
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-05 | by ( Bryan Metzger | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Read previewNearly half of the Senate Republicans have announced that they will oppose a bipartisan agreement to toughen US immigration laws and enact new border security measures. John Thune of South Dakota and Joni Ernst of Iowa, both members of the Senate GOP leadership. Former President Donald Trump has forcefully come out against the agreement while also saying that changes to border policy "should not be tied to foreign aid in any way, shape, or form." Yet that's exactly what Republican senators insisted upon when President Joe Biden requested additional foreign aid from Congress in October. And while most of the GOP opposition stems from a desire for more stringent policies, some Republicans have suggested that they do not want to do anything that might help Biden politically.

Persons: —, John Thune of, Joni Ernst of Iowa, Mitch McConnell, Sen, James Lankford of, Democratic Sen, Chris Murphy, Independent Sen, Kyrsten, Israel —, Donald Trump, Joe Biden, Biden Organizations: Service, Republicans, GOP, Business, Democratic, Independent, Senate, Israel Locations: Sens, John Thune of South Dakota, James Lankford of Oklahoma, Connecticut, Arizona, Ukraine

The border deal has placed one of the most vexing political issues at the center of President Joe Biden’s foreign policy agenda and forced him to take a tougher stance on an issue that has been a liability ahead of November. But former President Donald Trump and Johnson have attacked the border deal as too weak, and their opposition threatens to derail the legislation. “Let me be clear: The Senate Border Bill will NOT receive a vote in the House,” the Louisiana Republican wrote on X. Johnson announced Saturday that the House will vote this week on a standalone bill providing aid for Israel. It’s unclear whether a foreign aid package would be able to pass on its own as many Senate Republicans have demanded tighter border security in exchange for aid to those allies.

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