Dec. 14 (UPI) — The U.S. Senate will not begin its holiday recess on Friday as planed and instead lawmakers will return to the chamber next week with intentions to vote on President Joe Biden’s emergency funding plan for Ukraine, which has been held up by Republican demands for it to include more stringent immigration policies.
The Biden administration has been warning for months that the Congressionally approved funds to arm Ukraine’s defense against Russia’s invasion was nearly spent, and the president in October unveiled a $111 billion supplemental package with billions for Ukraine, Israel and other national security concerns, including the southern border.
But it has been held up in the Senate, as Republicans demand that it do more to address the surge in migrants and asylum seekers entering the United States via the southern border, while Democrats and the White House continue to urge action on the bill, stating Ukraine cannot wait and U.S. national security concerns need to be addressed.
Negotiators on Capitol Hill have been busy working out their differences, and Senate majority leader Chuck Schumer on Thursday announced from the floor that the chamber will reconvene on Monday, which will give them more time to hash out a deal.
“As I have said, if we believe something is important and urgent we should stay and get the job done. That is certainly the case with the supplemental. It is important. It is urgent,” the New York Democrat said.
“Members need to be here next week. We have to get this done. Our Republican colleagues who have said action on the border is urgent should have no problem with continuing to work next week,” he continued.
“We hope to come to an agreement, but no matter what, members should be aware that we will vote on a supplemental proposal next week.”
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters during a press conference Thursday that Biden is in “regular contact, regular touch” with congressional leaders on both sides of the aisle concerning his emergency supplemental national security funding package and that his administration believes “it’s heading in the right direction.”
“We’re seeing progress,” she said.
