PORTLAND, Ore. — As foreign aid and border security remain as hot topics in U.S. Congress, Republican and Democratic lawmakers in the House of Representatives unveil a new funding bill to provide aid and security — one week after Speaker Mike Johnson rejected a similar bill.
The $66.3 billion bipartisan package, titled the "Defending Borders, Defending Democracies Act," a new funding bill includes both aid to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan, in addition to a new border security policy.
Republican Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer of Oregon and Democratic Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez of Washington are sponsors of the package, along with Republican Reps. Mike Lawler of New York and Don Bacon of Nebraska, as well as Democratic Reps. Jim Costa of California and Ed Case of Hawaii.
On this week’s episode of "Straight Talk," Chavez-DeRemer and Gluesenkamp Perez join Laural Porter to discuss their bipartisan border and foreign aid bill.
What is the Defending Borders, Defending Democracies Act?
The $66.3 billion package calls for military aids in amounts of $47.7 billion to help defend Ukraine from Russia; $10.4 billion to support the defense of Israel, including funding for the Iron Dome; $4.9 billion for the defense of allies in the Indo-Pacific; and $2.4 billion to back U.S. Central Command operations.
It also includes bringing back the “Remain in Mexico” policy for one year, requiring some migrants, including asylum-seekers, to wait in Mexico while their claims are proved. President Joe Biden ended the policy when he took office, and the Supreme Court upheld the move.
But reinstating the border policy would require cooperation from Mexico, which it has rejected.
“We recognize what’s happening the southern border and how that is affecting Oregon and Washington,” said Chavez-DeRemer for why she’s sponsoring this bill. “When we drill down, we’re talking about the fentanyl crisis and overdoses. We are not a border state, and we recognize the devastation that it can have on the streets for our young people in our school system and for families worried about that.”
Additionally, Chavez-DeRemer said that on a national security level, the funding package recognizes that there’s a lot of harm that can happen when dictators take over in countries. Gluesenkamp Perez added it’s also a part of border security and recognizing countries, like Ukraine, also have a right to defend their border.
“Frankly, our administration has failed to get a handle on the crisis,” Gluesenkamp Perez said. “We’ve seen it turn into this football. That is really disappointing because the impacts are so real and real human costs in not having a secure southern border for us, and we see the suffering in Ukraine.”
Watch the full interview to listen to Lori Chavez-DeRemer and Marie Gluesenkamp Perez discuss U.S. border security’s relation to the Pacific Northwest fentanyl crisis, controversial “Remain in Mexico” policy, Tik Tok ban, and more. Straight Talk airs Friday at 7 p.m., Saturday and Sunday at 6:30 p.m. Straight Talk is also available as a podcast.