The Senate is expected to consider aid legislation for Israel, Ukraine and Taiwan on Thursday after Republicans rejected a bipartisan border security and foreign aid bill.
The vote scheduled for Thursday afternoon is a procedural one on whether to move on to the issue of introducing a foreign aid package, which requires at least 60 votes for approval. If the motion passes, the House would need an additional floor vote to send the bill to the House.
The Senate blocked the border bill Wednesday afternoon by a vote of 49-50. Republicans initially called for stronger border provisions in the bill, but they filibustered the deal, arguing it did not go far enough to combat record numbers of migrant crossings at the southern border.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York is currently pushing for a standalone aid package for Israel and Ukraine without border security provisions, and Senate Republicans will meet Thursday morning to consider how to proceed. Was.
Hours before Senate Republicans blocked a bipartisan border security bill, Schumer told Democrats he planned to propose additional aid without border security provisions. He expected a procedural vote on the bipartisan border security bill to fail, with an additional 60 threshold votes for additional aid, including aid to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan.
A Senate Democratic aide told NBC News that in addition to foreign aid, the pared-down package also includes provisions targeting fentanyl trafficking.
The new foreign aid bill faced skepticism from Senate Republicans during lunch early Wednesday, three people who were present told NBC News.
“We'll see what the Senate does,” House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-Louisiana) said Wednesday, declining to say whether he would allow the bill to take up a floor vote.
