The border bill, originally tied to a larger package on foreign aid, failed on the Senate floor in February, with all but four Republicans lining up against it.
In a dramatic reversal, Sen. James Lankford , the Republican who negotiated the bill with Senate Democrats and the White House, voted against it, as did all GOP senators with the exception of Sen. Lisa Murkowski .Thursday’s vote, the first procedural step on the bill, served to underscore the enduring impact of the border crisis ahead of the November election, as well as the difficulty of getting immigration legislation through Congress.
Republicans spent months demanding the compromise in exchange for Ukraine aid, but ultimately backed away from the final deal. Democrats ultimately blamed former President Donald Trump’s opposition to the bill for its failure, claiming Republicans wanted to keep a political flashpoint in play for the presidential election. Republicans countered the bill would have given Biden political cover without actually solving the border crisis.Sen. Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., left, talks as Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Ct.
Ahead of the vote, Democrats warned Republicans against blocking a deal that had been crafted in the spirit of bipartisanship. The messaging reflected an attempt to put the party on defense on an issue that is generally regarded as a Democratic liability.