Manchin, Capito support border-less national security supplemental

Mooney, Miller back House Speaker in opposing bill without stronger border protections

CHARLESTON - A bill that will provide much needed funding for Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan made it out of the U.S. Senate early Tuesday morning with support from West Virginia's two senators, but it is already hitting roadblocks in the U.S. House of Representatives, including the state's two members of Congress.

The Senate passed the $95.3 billion national security supplemental in a 70-29 vote after hours of debate, speeches, and the filibuster. The package includes more than $60 billion for Ukraine as it resists a Russian invasion and more than $14 billion for Israel as it fights to eliminate Hamas after an attack last fall. The supplemental also includes military aid for Taiwan.

Both U.S. Senators Joe Manchin and Shelley Moore Capito voted for the national security supplemental, which also includes funding for restocking military munitions and armaments. In statements Tuesday morning, Manchin and Capito said the bill was important to signal to international allies that the United States stands with them.

"As the superpower of the world, we cannot abandon our allies," said Manchin, D-W.Va. "The United States Senate's bipartisan national security package advances America's interests both on the world stage and right here at home ... I am proud to vote for peace and stability over tyranny and authoritarianism, and I urge my colleagues in the House to take up and pass this bipartisan package as quickly as possible."

"The national security supplemental we passed today equips our country with the resources to restore American deterrence and resolve amid rising threats and President (Joe) Biden's weakness," said Capito, R-W.Va. "I have been firm in my support for a national security supplemental that provides security assistance to allies and partners facing aggression as well as solutions to the national security challenges we face here at home."

The bill originally included $20.2 billion for border security funding at the U.S. and Mexican border, as well as additional border security provisions and powers for the President to use under direction from Congress, including shutting the border down when illegal crossings reach a certain threshold, tightening asylum rules, hiring additional border agents, and other provisions.

The national security supplemental with the border funding and provisions was part of bipartisan negotiations and had the support of the White House. But under pressure from former Republican president Donald Trump, Republicans in the Senate began to back away from the comprehensive package, including Capito. An attempt to bring the full package to a vote failed, and the border provisions were stripped from the bill.

"I also wanted a border component as part of this supplemental. However, because of the overwhelming concern Republicans and West Virginians conveyed to me, I voted against advancing that bill," Capito said. "I had hoped for an amendment process that would have allowed the Senate to debate and vote on border security amendments. But unfortunately, obstructionists prohibited that from occurring."

Both Capito and Manchin said they would continue negotiations for a stand-alone border protection package. Manchin, who supported the original supplemental with the border funding and provisions, said lawmakers did a disservice to the nation by rejecting the earlier package.

"While I'm pleased the Senate came together to pass bipartisan aid for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan, I'm extremely disappointed that the legislation excludes essential provisions to shut down the southern border and send a clear message to the world that if you come here illegally, you will be sent home," Manchin said. "We owe it to the 18,000 men and women of the Border Patrol Union to keep working to pass this bill, and I intend to do just that."

The national security supplemental now heads to the House, where its future is less certain. In a statement Monday, House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., signaled that the House may not even take up the bill in its current form. Johnson said any bill must include stronger border enforcement provisions after saying last week the original border provisions in the Senate national security supplemental were too weak.

"House Republicans were crystal clear from the very beginning of discussions that any so-called national security supplemental legislation must recognize that national security begins at our border," Johnson said. "The Senate did the right thing last week by rejecting the Ukraine-Taiwan-Gaza-Israel-Immigration legislation due to its insufficient border provisions, and it should have gone back to the drawing board."

"Speaker Johnson has been clear that the House of Representatives won't take up this supplemental until the southern border is secure, and I fully support that decision," said U.S. Rep. Carol Miller, R-W.Va. "I strongly encourage the Senate and the White House to work with House Republicans to craft a meaningful solution to fix the crisis at the border. My constituents are concerned about the southern border and that's where my focus is."

U.S. Rep. Alex Mooney, R-W.Va., said in a statement Tuesday that the Senate should consider the Secure Our Border Act passed by the House last year. The bill includes funding to continue construction of a border wall, further limit asylum eligibility, and reinstitute the Remain in Mexico policy that required asylum seekers to remain on the Mexican side of the border.

"National security begins at our borders," Mooney said. "The United States cannot continue to send billions of dollars to foreign countries while doing nothing to secure our overrun southern border. The House of Representatives has acted by passing the strongest border security bill in history. The Senate should prioritize a vote on the Secure our Border Act before looking to add another dime to our $34 trillion national debt."

It is also not clear that the House's narrow Republican majority will support additional funding for Ukraine, which has become hostile to continued funding for its struggle against Russia's invasion of the country nearly two years ago. The House failed to pass a stand-alone funding bill for Israel last week. Trump has recently come out against additional Ukraine aid unless it is done in the form of loans.