Majority Leader Schumer Dear Colleague On The Senate Voting On The Bipartisan Border Act

Today, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) sent the following Dear Colleague letter announcing that the Senate will vote on the bipartisan Border Act this coming week. This bipartisan legislation was negotiated as a part of the larger National Security Supplemental and had broad support from both parties before Donald Trump killed the bill for political reasons. The text of the letter can be found below:

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May 19, 2024

Dear Colleague:

This week, the Senate will return to the pressing issue of our nation’s border security.

Earlier this year, Senate negotiators achieved the unthinkable: bipartisan agreement on a comprehensive border security package. The Border Act overhauls our asylum laws, hires thousands of new border agents, invests in cutting edge technology to stop the flow of fentanyl and gives the President new authorities to close the border. Endorsed by the National Border Patrol Council, the Chamber of Commerce and the conservative Wall Street Journal editorial page, the bipartisan Border Act is, by any objective measure, a tough, serious-minded, and – critically, bipartisan – proposal to secure our border.

Congressional Republicans and Democrats alike were prepared to join arms and act to secure our nation’s border as part of the national security supplemental. Unfortunately, just as the border proposal was being finalized, former President Trump demanded Congressional Republicans kill the legislation. The former President made clear he would rather preserve the issue for his campaign than solve the issue in a bipartisan fashion. On cue, many of our Republican colleagues abruptly reversed course on their prior support, announcing their new-found opposition to the bipartisan proposal. As one Republican Senator noted at the time, “The very people who demanded that we have something on the border as part of the supplemental, suddenly all these months later say they don't want something on the border.” That Senator ultimately voted no, along with 44 of his Republican colleagues.

By contrast, Democrats’ commitment to act never waned.  That is why the Senate is prepared to take up the bipartisan Border Act as a standalone measure this coming week. We are hopeful this bipartisan proposal will bring serious-minded Republicans back to the table to advance this bipartisan solution for our border. I will be honest: I do not expect all Democrats to support this legislation. Many of our colleagues do not support some of the provisions in this legislation, nor do I expect all Republicans to agree to every provision. But that is often how bipartisan legislation must be shaped when dealing with an issue as complex and politically charged as our nation’s immigration laws.

Back in January, the former President urged Congressional Republicans to kill the bipartisan bill, telling the world proudly to “blame it on me.” The American people do not have the luxury of playing partisan blame games. They want bipartisan action to secure our border.

I hope Republicans and Democrats can work together to pass the bipartisan Border Act this coming week. At the end of the day, the American people deserve political leaders who will work towards bipartisan solutions and that is what we are prepared to do in the United States Senate this coming week.

Sincerely,     

Charles E. Schumer

Democratic Senate Majority Leader