Johnson faces double losses to Biden following border win
House Speaker Mike Johnson Celebrates Senate Border Deal’s Potential Defeat
“It looks like right now, it may be in some jeopardy. It may be on life support in the Senate,” he told reporters at a press conference. “We welcome that development.”
House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) expressed his delight as the Senate border deal, which he had vigorously opposed, teetered on the brink of failure. In a press conference, he confidently stated that it appeared to be in danger and may be on the verge of collapse in the Senate. Johnson welcomed this development with open arms.
Swift Demise of the Measure Deals Blow to President Biden
Within hours, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) conceded that the compromise had no chance of success, attributing its downfall directly to Johnson’s declaration that it was “dead on arrival” in the House.
The measure, which President Joe Biden had endorsed and even called for its passage in a speech on the same day, quickly fell apart within 24 hours of being unveiled. This was a setback for Biden, as his hopes for the border agreement were dashed.
However, Johnson also suffered a stunning defeat when a vote to impeach Biden’s border chief narrowly failed in the House. Minutes later, Democrats denied him the votes needed to pass aid for Israel after Biden threatened to veto the legislation.
Impeaching Alejandro Mayorkas, the homeland security secretary overseeing the crisis at the southern border, would have been a political indictment of Biden, as Republicans blame his policies for the record influx of immigrants. Instead, the failed vote allowed the White House to portray the effort as a partisan move.
“Clearly, there is bipartisan agreement that this baseless, unconstitutional impeachment stunt should fail,” a White House spokesman said on Tuesday night.
The political calculations surrounding the Israel vote are more complex. Biden wants to secure funding for Ukraine, which is a contentious issue among Republicans, along with at least $14 billion in aid for Israel, which enjoys greater popularity.
A stand-alone vote on the Israel portion aimed to pressure Biden to separate the two issues. However, Johnson needed a two-thirds majority for the measure to pass in the lower chamber, and it ultimately failed.
Johnson found himself licking his wounds on a day that should have been a major political victory for him.
Although the failures are not insurmountable, the speaker could attempt to move the Israel aid through regular order, which only requires a majority vote for passage. Additionally, another vote on the Mayorkas impeachment can be held once Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-LA) returns to Washington from cancer treatment.
However, the chaos on the House floor has raised questions about Johnson’s judgment as he faces off against a president with decades of political experience. Johnson has held the gavel since October.
Biden will use Senate Republicans’ rejection of the border deal to portray the party as beholden to former President Donald Trump, who joined forces with Johnson to oppose the legislation. The president can highlight his willingness to negotiate while Republicans chose to walk away.
“Frankly, they owe it to the American people to show some spine and do what they know to be right,” Biden said of Senate Republicans as the deal fell apart.
Nonetheless, Republicans believe they denied Biden a political victory on a measure they doubted would actually solve the border crisis. McConnell had previously demanded that Ukraine aid be paired with border security and blocked a vote on the assistance in December to force a compromise.
However, the deal he ultimately walked away with did not satisfy Johnson’s conservative stance. While it tightened asylum claims and granted the president new authority to close the border, it did not include the Trump-era “Remain in Mexico” policy and other demands from House Republicans.
Johnson viewed the bill as an imbalanced agreement that favored Democrats in both politics and policy. This outcome was inevitable given their control of the White House and Senate.
Johnson emerged victorious in his intraparty dispute with McConnell, effectively derailing any chances of addressing border security before the November election. Now, he faces the challenge of navigating the complex issue of Ukraine.
Johnson has left the door open to further assistance for Ukraine, but he demands accountability measures and a public statement from Biden on how the conflict with Russia will be resolved.
However, he will face pressure from his right flank to oppose whatever the Senate passes. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) is already considering a defense bill for Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan without the border provisions.
Johnson previously attempted to force Biden to separate the Ukraine funding by passing a stand-alone bill for Israel in November, offsetting the cost with IRS cuts. However, his failure on Tuesday to move a clean Israel bill that could pass the Senate has weakened his position in that fight.
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How has the defeat of the Senate border deal affected the political landscape and left both sides scrambling to regroup?
E right,” Biden said in a statement. “I am committed to finding a solution, but I cannot do it alone.”
The defeat of the Senate border deal has undoubtedly impacted the political landscape, leaving both sides scrambling to regroup. Johnson’s celebration may be short-lived as he now faces the task of finding alternative paths to his political goals, while President Biden must navigate the fallout and seek alternative avenues for addressing the border crisis.
As the political battle continues, the American people patiently await a resolution to the pressing issue of border security. The defeat of the Senate border deal serves as a reminder of the challenges that lie ahead and the complexities of finding common ground in a polarized political climate.
Ultimately, the fate of the border deal rests in the hands of the Senate. However, the consequences of its potential defeat extend far beyond the confines of Capitol Hill. The nation watches, ready to assess how its elected officials will respond and whether they can rise above partisan politics for the greater good of the American people.
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