US Border Crisis: Bipartisan $110 Billion Senate Bill ‘Dead On Arrival’ In House, says Speaker Mike Johnson

US House Speaker Mike Johnson on Monday (5 February) said that the bipartisan bill containing $118 billion package for foreign aid and border crisis will be “dead on arrival” in the lower chamber.

Johnson’s remarks comes after the text of the agreement was released Sunday night.

The House speaker stated that the proposal for the border crisis mitigation was “even worse” than the House Republicans expected.

The legislation would allocate $20 billion for border crisis mitigation, by giving the federal government temporary authority to expel migrants when the average number of daily crossings exceeds a threshold.

The border security component also includes ending “catch and release,” increasing standards for asylum screenings and attempting to process asylum claims quicker.

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Ukraine vs Border Crisis: Bill’s Priority Under Scrutiny

The comprehensive $118.28 billion national security supplemental package allocates a $60.06 billion to Ukraine to help in the war against Russia.

In contrast, US border crisis security efforts are earmarked to receive $20.23 billion.

This disparity in funding allocation has raised eyebrows and sparked a debate over the Senate’s priorities at a time when domestic border security challenges persist.

The foreign aid portion of the agreement includes $60 billion for Ukraine, $14.1 billion for Israel and aid for Indo-Pacific allies.

Separate Bill for Israel Funding

Johnson has said that he would put $17.6 billion in emergency funding for Israel in a standalone bill up for a vote on the House floor next week.

“I’ve seen enough,” Johnson wrote on X.

“This bill is even worse than we expected, and won’t come close to ending the border catastrophe the President has created. As the lead Democrat negotiator proclaimed: Under this legislation, “the border never closes.” If this bill reaches the House, it will be dead on arrival,” he added.

House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, who oversees the schedule in the lower chamber, has also said the Senate bill on border crisis would not receive a vote in the Congress body.

“Let me be clear: The Senate Border Bill will NOT receive a vote in the House,” Scalise wrote on X.

“Here’s what the people pushing this ‘deal’ aren’t telling you: It accepts 5,000 illegal immigrants a day and gives automatic work permits to asylum recipients — a magnet for more illegal immigration,” he added.

What’s in the package?

The $118.28 billion national security supplemental package includes:

• $60.06 billion to support Ukraine as it fights back against Putin’s bloody invasion and protects its people and sovereignty.
• $14.1 billion in security assistance for Israel.
• $2.44 billion to support operations in the U.S. Central Command and address combat expenditures related to 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 and the West Bank, Ukraine, and other populations caught in conflict zones across the globe.
• $4.83 billion to support key regional partners in the Indo-Pacific and deter aggression by the Chinese government.
• $2.33 billion to continue support for Ukrainians displaced by Putin’s war of aggression and other refugees fleeing persecution.
• The bipartisan border policy changes negotiated by Senators Chris Murphy (D-CT), Kyrsten Sinema (I-AZ), and James Lankford (R-OK).
• $20.23 billion to address existing operational needs and expand capabilities at our nation’s borders, resource the new border policies included in the package, and help stop the flow of fentanyl and other narcotics.
• The Fentanyl Eradication and Narcotics Deterrence (FEND) Off Fentanyl Act.
• $400 million for the Nonprofit Security Grant Program to help nonprofits and places of worship make security enhancements.

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