GOP cries foul on Dem border spending bill they say would drag out migrant crisis
Appropriations Committee ranking member Susan Collins and other Republicans hit Democrats for advancing a "partisan" Homeland Security spending bill.
Senate Republicans slammed their Democrat counterparts in the chamber for moving forward with a "partisan" Homeland Security appropriations bill that they say has "substantial flaws" and will leave the incoming Trump administration without the resources they need to fix the border crisis.
Senate Committee on Appropriations ranking member Susan Collins, R-Maine, said in a statement that Democrats' leadership has led to a "unilateral decision from the Majority to post a partisan measure on a critical appropriations bill that is meant to help secure our borders and combat the surge of deadly fentanyl and other illegal narcotics flooding our communities."
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She slammed this decision, claiming it "undercuts our efforts over the last two years to reach bipartisan consensus and allow Senators an opportunity to debate and amend appropriations bills."
Sen. Katie Britt, R-Ala., the ranking member of the Homeland Security Appropriations Subcommittee, also criticized the move by Democrats.
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"On a unilateral, partisan basis, Senate Democrats chose to post a Homeland Security bill that falls woefully short of what’s needed to combat America’s border crisis and strengthen interior immigration enforcement," she said in a statement.
"Senate Democrats know [Trump] is going to immediately take action to clean up the Biden-Harris Administration’s mess at the border, so instead of working with Republicans to create a responsible appropriations bill they chose to release a product that would leave a Trump Administration short of the resources they need to secure our border."
Sen. Bill Hagerty, R-Tenn., also hammered the Democrats for advancing the bill.
"Americans rejected open borders, yet Senate Democrats propose:
Appropriations Chair Patty Murray, D-Wash., said the bill released last week was the product of "serious bipartisan negotiations" over the summer and into the fall.
"It includes much-needed new resources to stop the flow of fentanyl, meet pressing needs at our border, disrupt and dismantle transnational criminal organizations, help communities recover from disaster, and so much else, and it is written to pass with strong bipartisan support so that Congress can deliver these essential funds," Murray said in a statement provided by her office to Fox News Digital. "With just weeks left until government funding expires, Republicans in Congress should work with Democrats to negotiate and pass reasonable, bipartisan legislation to fund the government and make these new resources a reality."
The 11 other various appropriations bills advanced out of committee this summer with bipartisan support after being debated. The Homeland Security measure was the only outstanding spending measure that did not go through the committee.
None of the individual measures have been voted on in the Senate. It's unclear if or when Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer will schedule votes on them.
Schumer's office did not immediately provide comment to Fox News Digital.
