Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) speaks with reporters as he arrives at the Capitol to vote, Wednesday, Sept. 6, 2023, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)
Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, on Wednesday criticized House Republicans who have voiced opposition to any proposal that could come out of the Senate. Talks towards a bipartisan agreement on border security That is the key to unlocking aid to Ukraine and Israel.
Republicans and Democrats remain at odds over a possible deal, and Senate Republican negotiators say expressed doubts that they would be able to secure a contract It’s something House Speaker Mike Johnson has brought to the House floor that may well find traction among conservatives. House Republicans are pushing for major changes to U.S. border and immigration policies.
Democratic leaders say they are open to border negotiations But he also warned Republicans against taking a hard line.
“I can tell you that every Republican in the House, as well as nearly every Republican in the Senate, has been unhappy over the past three years under this administration about the increase in illegal immigration and the migrant crisis at the U.S.-Mexico border. It’s just that we’re embracing it,” Grassley told reporters on a conference call Wednesday.
“If you’re going to settle for perfection, we’re not going to get anything done and we’re going to have two or three million more people coming across this border in the last year of this presidential term. “Yes,” Grassley said. “I think there’s no doubt that Democrats recognize that they need to build real border security into this policy. And I think that if they put that in this package, they’re going to make sure that House Republicans realize that this is the best thing they can do.” I hope they say it’s a plan.”
Grassley emphasized that Senate Republican negotiators are “rejecting all proposals from Democrats that are known as window dressing.”
“You have to have something strong,” he said.
Republicans in the House and Senate have made it clear that they do not support additional aid to Ukraine unless it is combined with border security measures to control the influx of migrants at the U.S.-Mexico border.
Republicans hope Democrats will feel political pressure to accept parts of the border plan after the number of illegal immigrants exceeded 8,000 per day on average earlier this fall.
President Joe Biden, who is running for re-election next year, is facing pressure from his fellow Democrats over the influx of migrants.
The Biden administration is asking Congress for $106 billion in emergency funding, including aid to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan, and $14 billion to strengthen the immigration system and border security. The funds would be used to hire Border Patrol agents, immigration agents and asylum officers.
Republicans require asylum seekers to demonstrate in an initial interview that they have a credible fear of political, religious, or racial persecution in their home country before proceeding with asylum in the United States. It proposes changing the asylum system for immigrants by making it mandatory. However, the group is at an impasse over the humanitarian parole system, which is used by the Biden administration and others in emergencies to allow certain migrants to temporarily enter the United States, such as allowing Afghans to enter the country after the U.S. withdrawal. There is. From Afghanistan and Ukrainians after the Russian invasion.
Senator not interested in repealing the Affordable Care Act
Grassley also dismissed former President Donald Trump’s recent push to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act, which failed on the Senate floor in 2017.
Trump, the current Republican presidential candidate, Posted on his social media platform Truth SociaI said over the weekend that he is “seriously considering alternatives” to the Affordable Care Act if he wins a second term.
The former president said his failure to repeal the health law six years ago in office was a “low point for the Republican Party.”
Grassley and Iowa Republican U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst He was among 49 Republicans. vote for something controversial “Skinny abolition” bill In July 2017, it sought to change former President Barack Obama’s signature health care law. The bill was rejected by a majority of 51 votes.
Grassley said Republicans are committed to lowering health care costs, but have little interest in rehashing the fight to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act. Health insurance laws have proven increasingly popular as consumer protections that prohibit insurance companies from denying coverage or charging people higher rates. Insurance that allows young people with chronic illnesses to stay on their parents’ insurance plan until they are 26 years old.
“I have not participated in any discussions about repealing Obamacare since 2017 or at least 2018,” Grassley said. “But we hear so many Republicans talking about health care. And it would be nice to get President Trump to listen to this topic.”
He and his fellow senators have introduced bipartisan legislation aimed at containing health care costs, lowering prescription drug prices and increasing drug pricing transparency.
The Associated Press contributed to this report
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