[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 199 (Monday, December 4, 2023)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5699-S5700]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                          Supplemental Funding

  Madam President, now, on the supplemental, America's national 
security is on the line around the world--in Europe, in the Middle 
East, and in the Indo-Pacific. Autocrats and radical extremists are 
waging war against democracy, against our values, against our way of 
life.
  Before the year is out, it is important for the Senate to pass an 
emergency national security supplemental package providing aid to 
Ukraine, to Israel; humanitarian aid to innocent civilians in Gaza; and 
deterrence against adversaries in the Indo-Pacific. Both parties 
understand the consequences will be severe if we fail. Just this 
morning, OMB Director Shalanda Young warned congressional leaders that 
absent action from Congress, funding to help Ukraine will run out by 
the end of the year.
  Alarmingly, process on the national security package has been on ice 
for weeks--not because Republicans objected to Israel aid or aid to 
Ukraine or humanitarian aid to innocent civilians in Gaza or the Indo-
Pacific but because Republicans have injected partisan and extreme 
immigration measures into the debate.
  Let me repeat that. The holdup on the security supplemental has not 
been over Ukraine or Israel or the Indo-Pacific but over Republicans' 
decision to inject hard-right immigration measures into the debate.

[[Page S5700]]

  Democrats agree immigration should be debated and addressed. But if 
Republicans want to raise the issue of immigration right now, the onus 
is on them to present us with bipartisan ideas. Democrats have spent 
weeks--weeks--engaging in good faith on this issue. In fact, the 
President's supplemental proposal puts money directly toward vetting 
asylum claims, reducing court backlogs, and stopping fentanyl, which is 
exactly what our Republican colleagues say they want.
  But instead of meeting us in the middle, Republicans have tripled 
down on extremist policies that seem dictated by Donald Trump and 
Stephen Miller, like indefinite detention of asylum seekers and 
sweeping powers to shut down the immigration system.
  Democrats want to be reasonable on immigration. We are willing to 
make concessions, but we will not keep going in circles if Republicans 
aren't interested in even meeting us halfway.
  Now, just because both sides can't reach an agreement does not mean 
that we can't get something done. But it must be broadly bipartisan. 
Neither side can dictate what can be in the bill, which is what many of 
our Republican colleagues seem to want.
  The two parties don't disagree seriously on Israel or Ukraine aid or 
humanitarian assistance to Gaza or the Indo-Pacific. We should, 
therefore, work toward passing these areas where we have bipartisan 
agreement.
  The world is watching what we do in Congress these coming weeks. You 
can bet Vladimir Putin is watching, Hamas is watching, Iran, President 
Xi, North Korea. All our adversaries are watching closely.
  If Congress fails to defend democracy in its hour of need--all 
because of border policies inspired by Donald Trump and Stephen 
Miller--the judgment of history will be harsh indeed.