Senate leaders on Sunday released details of a long-awaited comprehensive border security bill, which also contains a large foreign aid component.
The discussions, led by Senators James Lankford (R-Oklahoma), Krysten Sinema (R-Arizona), and Chris Murphy (D-Connecticut), come after months of negotiations with the Biden regime, seeking to address the ongoing crisis in the Senate. The southern border of the United States and foreign policy commitments abroad.
The 370-page deal, according to Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA), chairwoman of the Senate Appropriations Committee, claims to reflect weeks of good-faith negotiations, balancing domestic concerns with urgent international aid needs.
“With ammunition running out to repel Putin's brutal invasion of Ukraine, it is imperative that we finally offer our support,” Murray said in a statement.
“We must also fulfill our commitments to our allies around the world and quickly access more aid for innocent civilians caught up in the conflict, including in Gaza, where the humanitarian crisis is particularly grave. I never thought we should link the demands of politics to aid.” emergency for our allies, but Republicans insisted — so Democrats negotiated in good faith over several weeks, and now there's bipartisan agreement on border policy legislation. The fate of Ukraine and much more is at stake, and it's time for Congress to act.
The comprehensive $118.28 billion National Security Supplemental Package, totaling $118.28 billion, allocates a staggering $60.06 billion to Ukraine in response to Russia's aggressive military actions.
In contrast, $20.23 billion has been allocated to US border security efforts. This disparity in funding allocation has raised eyebrows and sparked debate about Senate priorities at a time when security challenges continue at local borders.
Heavy financial support for Ukraine overshadows urgent needs at the southern US border. The border has been a hotbed of crises, with growing numbers of illegal aliens, an increase in fentanyl smuggling, and ongoing operational challenges for border enforcement agencies.
The $20.23 billion allocated for border security, while important, falls short of addressing the full scope of the crisis, especially compared to the foreign aid being distributed.
Since the Russian invasion in February 2022, the United States has pledged more than $75 billion in aid, including $46.3 billion in security assistance to Ukraine.
The package also includes $14.1 billion in security aid for Israel and billions more for humanitarian aid in conflict zones, including Gaza and the West Bank, further diluting the focus on internal security needs.
House Speaker Mike Johnson will also introduce a bill to send $17.6 billion to Israel in emergency aid without corresponding spending cuts amid a fight over border security.
The first standalone aid package for Israel voted on included cuts to the IRS, which of course received backlash from Democrats and was rejected by Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer. The new Israeli finance bill will exclude IRS cuts.
According to Murray, the $118.28 billion national security supplemental package includes:
- $60.06 billion to support Ukraine in its fight against Putin's bloody invasion and protect its people and sovereignty.
- $14.1 billion in security aid to Israel.
- $2.44 billion to support operations at US Central Command and address combat expenditures related to the conflict in the Red Sea.
- $10 billion in humanitarian assistance to provide food, water, shelter, medical care and other essential services to civilians in Gaza, the West Bank, Ukraine and other populations trapped in conflict zones around the world.
- $4.83 billion to support key regional partners in the Indo-Pacific region and deter aggression by the Chinese government.
- $2.33 billion to continue supporting Ukrainians displaced by Putin's war of aggression and other refugees fleeing persecution.
- Bipartisan border policy changes negotiated by Senators Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Kyrsten Sinema (R-Ariz.), and James Lankford (R-Oklahoma).
- $20.23 billion to meet current operational needs and expand capacity at our nation's borders, provide resources for new border policies included in the package, and help stem the flow of fentanyl and other drugs.
- the The Fentanyl Elimination and Deterrence Drug (FEND) Off Fentanyl Act.
- $400 million for the Nonprofit Security Grant Program to help nonprofits and places of worship make security improvements.
Proponents of a stronger focus on border security argue that although international aid is important, its allocation should not come at the expense of securing the country's borders and protecting its citizens from the repercussions of uncontrolled migration and drug smuggling.
The Gateway Pundit previously reported that US intelligence officials have warned of the growing threat posed by the Lebanese terrorist group Hezbollah, suggesting it could strike US interests in the Middle East or even within the United States.
In October, during a speech to the International Association of Chiefs of Police conference in San Diego, California, FBI Director Chris Wray issued a stark warning about the rise of violent extremism, both domestically and internationally.
Wray noted that there had been a significant increase in reported threats following attacks in Israel, and warned the public to remain vigilant against “lone actors.”
According to an internal memo dated October 20, which was obtained by the Daily Caller News Foundation, the CBP San Diego field office sent a memo to its officers warning of jihadists trying to enter the United States through the southern border. Terrorist attacks against Israel have likely inspired Hamas, Hezbollah, and other jihadists to make their way into our nation.
“The San Diego Field Office Intelligence Unit estimates that individuals inspired by or interacting with the current conflict between Israel and Hamas may attempt to travel to and from the area of hostilities in the Middle East via an indirect crossing across the southwest border,” the memo said.
The memo adds: “Ideologically motivated foreign fighters or mercenary soldiers may attempt to obscure travel to and from the United States to or from countries in the Middle East via Mexico.”
You can read the text of the law below:
