December 06, 2023

Duckworth Reaction to Senate Republicans Blocking President Biden’s National Security Package to Keep America Safe, Strengthen Border Security

 

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] – U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL)—a member of both the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations and Armed Services Committees—issued the following statement after Senate Republicans voted to block President Biden’s request to Congress for additional resources that would strengthen U.S. national security by investing in our domestic defense industry, countering China in the Indo-Pacific region, supporting Ukraine, helping innocent civilians in Gaza and countering Hamas, as well as bolstering security on our nation’s southern border:

“Today, Senate Republicans once again showed the American people that they are more focused on politics than on strengthening our national security and supporting our allies and partners. I’m deeply disappointed that my colleagues across the aisle refused to join us in passing President Biden’s national security and aid package to provide support to Ukraine, Israel and the Indo-Pacific while helping deliver critically-needed humanitarian assistance for the innocent civilians suffering in Gaza.

“Republicans’ blockade is especially cruel after the Senate had the chance to hear Ukrainian officials’ sobering analysis yesterday of just how critical additional American aid is to their current military operations as brave Ukrainians continue to fight for their nation’s survival against Putin’s unjustified war of choice. Their hypocritical vote today also blocked substantive actions to strengthen security on our southern border—including helping law enforcement stem the flow of fentanyl coming into our country. And they blocked desperately-needed resources that would help Chicago, Illinois and the rest of the nation provide humanitarian support to asylum-seekers.

“It’s a shame Senate Republicans threw away all of this—days after the White House sounded the alarm that we will run out of resources to support Ukraine by the end of the year—to pursue extreme immigration proposals that have no chance of becoming law. I refuse to give up on supporting our partners overseas who are counting on us and will do everything I can to keep pushing to alleviate the humanitarian crisis in Gaza while strengthening our national security and supporting our allies and partners.”

-30-