As security aid advances, GOP confronts a missed opportunity

For six months, President Joe Biden urged Congress to approve a security aid package. For six months, U.S. allies abroad pleaded with lawmakers to do the responsible thing. For six months, congressional Republicans dithered, even as Vladimir Putin’s regime exploited its opportunity.

But last night, those waiting for Congress to step up finally saw the outcome they hoped to see. NBC News reported:

As the dust settled, the final tally was 79 to 18. Most of the Senate Republican minority continued to balk, but 15 GOP senators ended up voting with the majority, including Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and Senate Minority Whip John Thune. (Three members of the Senate Democratic conference also ended up opposing the legislation.)

“Tonight, after more than six months of hard work and many twists and turns on the road, America sends a message to the entire world: We will not turn our back on you,” Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said after the vote. “Tonight we tell our allies: We stand with you. We tell our adversaries: Don’t mess with us. We tell the world: The United States will do everything to safeguard democracy and our way of life.

“This bill is one of the most consequential measures Congress has passed in years to protect America’s security and the future — the very future — of Western Democracy. And after overcoming a lot of opposition, tonight Congress finishes the job,” the New York Democrat added. “To our friends in Ukraine, to our friends in Israel, to our friends in the Indo-Pacific, and to innocent civilians caught in the midst of war from Gaza to Sudan: America hears you and will be there for you. And to the whole world: Rest assured America will never shrink from its responsibilities as a leader on the world stage. Tonight, we make Vladimir Putin regret the day he questioned American resolve.”

Obviously, what matters most about the legislation are the real-world implications for U.S. allies and our international credibility. But as the political world takes stock after a half-year legislative effort, a question hangs overhead:

Isn’t this result what the White House asked for in October — which Republicans said they’d oppose without border measures attached?

I’ve covered Congress for more than 20 years. I’ve attended more congressional hearings than I care to remember, followed countless legislative fights, spoken to plenty of sitting and former lawmakers, and learned a ton from underappreciated Capitol Hill staffers.

But I continue to believe the trajectory of this bill was one of the strangest things I’ve ever seen. Consider how this process unfolded:

• Step 1: Last fall, Democrats wanted to pass a security aid package. Republicans responded that they’d support such a bill, but only if Democrats agreed to add conservative provisions related to immigration and border policy.
• Step 2: Democrats rejected GOP demands and said it was up to Congress to simply do the smart and responsible thing, without strings attached.
• Step 3: Republicans stuck to their guns, insisting they were prepared to let Russia take part of eastern Europe by force unless Democrats agreed to a deal on immigration and border policy.
• Step 4: Desperate and left with limited options, Democrats agreed to the GOP’s demands, negotiated a bipartisan border bill, and packaged the two policies together.
• Step 5: Republicans, acting at Donald Trump’s behest, killed the compromise plan they demanded.
• Step 6: Republican leaders, putting aside the cries of their far-right members, eventually agree to pass a security aid package without immigration and border reforms, which is what Democrats wanted in the first place.

Let’s not forget, the immigration and border reforms that Democrats were prepared to accept were quite conservative, and much further to the right than any of the deals Democrats embraced throughout the Bush, Obama, and Trump eras.

In January, Sen. Lindsey Graham urged his GOP colleagues not to look a gift horse in the mouth. “To those who think that if President Trump wins, which I hope he does, that we can get a better deal — you won’t,” the South Carolina Republican told reporters. He added, “To my Republican friends: To get this kind of border security without granting a pathway to citizenship is really unheard of. ... So to my Republican colleagues, this is a historic moment to reform the border.”

Republicans instead followed Trump’s instructions and killed the bipartisan agreement.

As a result, the GOP ended up with none of what it wanted on border policy, even as Democratic leaders got all of what they wanted on security aid.

If Republicans are waking up this morning and thinking, “Maybe we should’ve taken that deal months ago when it was on the table,” they’re right.