Democracy Dies in Darkness

Senate negotiators release sweeping border and military aid bill

The $118 billion national security package is a top priority for President Biden, but faces stiff opposition from former president Donald Trump and his allies

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Updated February 4, 2024 at 9:58 p.m. EST|Published February 4, 2024 at 6:41 p.m. EST
Senate negotiators unveiled a bipartisan $118 billion national security bill on Feb. 4 that included funding for border secuirty and defense aid to Ukraine. (Video: Reuters)
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After months of talks, Senate negotiators on Sunday released a sweeping bipartisan border security deal that is aimed at discouraging migrants from crossing the U.S.-Mexico border.

The $118 billion national security legislation also includes billions of dollars in funding for Ukraine, Israel, the Indo-Pacific and humanitarian aid, but it has a politically perilous path ahead. Even before seeing its contents, lawmakers on both the right — and, to a lesser extent, the left — flanks in Congress have slammed the measure and House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) called it “dead on arrival” in the chamber. Former president Donald Trump, who has made the border a core campaign issue, opposes the deal.