Washington — President Biden is set to deliver remarks at the White House on Tuesday to urge Congress to pass a national security supplemental bill that would provide funding for Ukraine, Israel and border security, among other priorities.
The president’s plea comes as more House and Senate Republicans have said they oppose the Senate-negotiated deal, which would provide $118 billion for foreign aid and overhaul key portions of the U.S. immigration system. Opposition from House Republicans was anticipated, but a growing number of Senate Republicans have also come out against the long-awaited agreement since it was released on Sunday.
“I think the proposal is dead,” Republican Sen. Roger Wicker of Mississippi told reporters after a meeting in Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell’s office Monday night.
The White House for months has been urging Congress to pass an emergency supplemental to provide billions of dollars in aid to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan. Republicans insisted on including provisions to clamp down on illegal border crossings. Democratic Sen. Chris Murphy, Republican Sen. James Lankford and independent Sen. Kyrsten Sinema took the lead in hammering out a deal on the immigration portions of the larger package.
But Republicans who oppose the final product say the bill does not go far enough to deter illegal border crossings. Speaker Mike Johnson said the Senate bill would be “dead on arrival” in the House.
Separately, the lower chamber plans to vote on a standalone bill to provide more aid to Israel on Tuesday evening. The Biden administration announced Monday night that the president would veto the bill if it reaches his desk, in light of the White House’s insistence on the broader national security deal.
“Instead of working in good faith to address the most pressing national security challenges, this bill is another cynical political maneuver,” the Office of Management and Budget said in a statement of administration policy. “The security of Israel should be sacred, not a political game … The administration strongly encourages both chambers of the Congress to reject this political ploy and instead quickly send the bipartisan Emergency National Security Supplemental Appropriations Act to the president’s desk.”
The president is expected to speak at 11:45 a.m.
How to watch Biden’s remarks
What: President Biden urges Congress to pass a national security bill
Date: Feb. 6, 2024
Time: 11:45 a.m. ET
Location: White House
Watch: Live on CBS News in the video player above and on your mobile or streaming device.
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