Senate leaders on Sunday released details of the long-awaited comprehensive border security bill, which also contains a substantial foreign aid component.
The discussions, led by Senators James Lankford (R-OK), Krysten Sinema (I-AZ), and Chris Murphy (D-CT), come after months of negotiations with the Biden regime, seeking to address both the ongoing crisis in level US southern border and foreign policy commitments abroad.
The 370-page agreement, according to Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, says it reflects weeks of good faith negotiations, balancing domestic concerns with urgent international aid needs.
“As Ukraine runs out of ammunition to repel Putin’s brutal invasion, it is imperative that we finally extend our support,” Murray said in a statement.
“We must also deliver on our commitments to our allies around the world and quickly provide more aid to innocent civilians caught up in conflict, including in Gaza, where the humanitarian crisis is particularly grave. I have never believed that we should tie political requests to emergency aid for our allies, but Republicans insisted, then Democrats negotiated in good faith for many weeks, and now there is bipartisan agreement on border policy legislation . The fate of Ukraine and so much more hangs in the balance – it’s time for Congress to act.”
The $118.28 billion comprehensive national security supplementary package allocates a staggering $60.06 billion to Ukraine in response to Russia’s aggressive military actions .
In contrast, U.S. border security efforts are expected to receive $20.23 billion. This disparity in funding allocation has raised concerns and sparked debate about the Senate’s priorities at a time when challenges to national border security persist.
Substantial financial support for Ukraine overshadows urgent needs at the U.S. southern border. The border has been a hotbed of crisis, with growing numbers of illegal immigrants, a surge in fentanyl trafficking, and ongoing operational challenges for border enforcement agencies.
The $20.23 billion allocated for border security, while significant, fails to address the full scope of the crisis, especially when compared to foreign aid disbursed.
Since Russia’s invasion in February 2022, the United States has committed more than $75 billion in assistance, including $46.3 billion in security assistance to Ukraine.
The package also includes $14.1 billion in security assistance for Israel and billions more for humanitarian assistance 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 the fight for border security.
The first stand-alone aid package to Israel that was voted on included cuts to the IRS, which, of course, received heavy backlash from Democrats and were rejected by Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer. New Israel Funding Law Will Exclude IRS Cuts.
According to Murray, the $118.28 billion national security supplemental package includes:
- $60.06 billion to support Ukraine in the fight against Putin’s bloody invasion and in protecting its people and sovereignty.
- $14.1 billion in security assistance for Israel.
- $2.44 billion to support U.S. Central Command operations and address combat expenses related to the Red Sea conflict.
- $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 affected by conflict zones around the world.
- $4.83 billion to support key regional partners in the Indo-Pacific 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-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, fund new border policies included in the package, and help stop the flow of fentanyl and other narcotics.
- THE Fentanyl Eradication and Narcotics Deterrence (FEND) in derogation from the Fentanyl Act.
- $400 million for the Nonprofit Security Grant Program to help nonprofits and houses of worship improve security.
Supporters of a greater emphasis on border security argue that while international aid is crucial, the allocation should not come at the expense of securing the nation’s borders and safeguarding its citizens from the ramifications of uncontrolled immigration and narcotics trafficking .
The Gateway Pundit previously reported that US intelligence officials had warned of a growing threat posed by the Lebanese terrorist group Hezbollah, suggesting it could target American interests in the Middle East or even within the United States.
In October, during a speech at the International Association of Chiefs of Police conference in San Diego, California, FBI Director Chris Wray issued a dire warning about the rise of violent extremism, both domestically and internationally.
Wray indicated there has been a significant increase in reported threats following the attacks in Israel, warning the public to remain vigilant against “lone actors.”
According to an internal memo dated October 20, obtained by the Daily Caller News Foundation, the CBP San Diego field office sent a memo to its officers warning of jihadists attempting to enter the United States through the southern border. Terrorist attacks on Israel have potentially inspired Hamas, Hezbollah, and other jihadists to make their way into our nation.
“The San Diego Field Office Intelligence Unit assesses that individuals inspired by or reacting to the current conflict between Israel and Hamas may attempt to travel to or from the area of hostilities in the Middle East via tortuous transit across the border south-western,” reads the note.
“Foreign fighters motivated by ideology or mercenary soldiers of fortune may attempt to obfuscate travel to or from the United States to or from Middle Eastern countries through Mexico,” the statement adds.
You can read the text of the legislation below: