A newly released U.S. Senate security bill faced an uncertain future Monday, despite the months of negotiations over the bipartisan measure that includes billions of dollars in funding for Ukraine, Israel and humanitarian assistance, as well as reforms for asylum-seekers at the U.S.-Mexico border.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer set an initial vote on the measure for Wednesday, saying the bill’s priorities “are too important to ignore and too vital to allow politics to get in the way.”

He called the legislation “a monumental step towards strengthening America’s national security abroad and along our borders.”

But soon after the bill was released late Sunday, House Speaker Mike Johnson said if it passed the Democrat-majority Senate and came to the Republic-majority House, “it will be dead on arrival.”

For Ukraine, the bill has $60 billion to support its fight against Russia, while Israel would get $14 billion in security assistance and $10 billion would go toward humanitarian aid for civilians in conflict zones such as Ukraine, the Gaza Strip and the West Bank.

Another $2.4 billion would fund U.S. military efforts to counter attacks in the Red Sea, while $4.8 billion would support partners facing Chinese aggression in the Indo-Pacific.

Senate negotiators worked to bring together several priorities advocated by President Joe Biden, including funding that would restart U.S. shipments of ammunition and missiles to Ukraine. Republicans insisted the package also include steps to address the thousands of people illegally crossing the southern border.

House Republicans and former President Donald Trump have criticized the Senate effort as not doing enough to address border security.

“This bill is even worse than we expected, and won’t come close to ending the border catastrophe the President has created,” Johnson said on X.

Biden praised the Senate bill, saying it “includes the toughest and fairest set of border reforms in decades.”

“Now, House Republicans have to decide. Do they want to solve the problem? Or do they want to keep playing politics with the border?” Biden said in a statement. “I’ve made my decision. I’m ready to solve the problem. I’m ready to secure the border.”

The measure includes a tougher and faster process for asylum-seekers to have their claims adjudicated, with those passing initial screening made eligible for work permits. Asylum interviews would happen with days of arrival, with final decisions made within months. Currently, the entire process can take years.

In addition, on days when the five-day average of illegal border crossings surpasses 5,000 per day, the president would have the authority to automatically expel those who cross illegally without giving them an opportunity to make an asylum claim. Migrants would still be allowed to go to ports of entry to try to seek asylum.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell expressed his support for the legislation, saying the Senate must “prepare to act.”

“America’s sovereignty is being tested here at home, and our credibility is being tested by emboldened adversaries around the world,” McConnell said in a statement. “The challenges we face will not resolve themselves, nor will our adversaries wait for America to muster the resolve to meet them.”

Some information for this story came from The Associated Press and Reuters

Source: VOA

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