Washington, DC The Senate decided to postpone its holiday break and reconvene next week to finalize an agreement on immigration and provide aid to Ukraine and Israel, while the House adjourned for Christmas break on Thursday with plans to reconvene in the new year.
The change was announced on the Senate floor by Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer on Thursday afternoon, one day after immigration negotiators showed some signs of hope for a deal.
The discussions on how to proceed with finishing the national security supplemental have advanced nicely over the past few days. As I’ve stated, we should stick around and finish the task at hand if we think it’s crucial and urgent,” Schumer stated. “That applies to the supplemental. It is crucial. Well, it is
“So for the information of all senators, after we finish today, the Senate will return on Monday,” Schumer, a Democratic senator from New York, said. “That will give negotiators from the White House, Senate Democrats, and Senate Republicans a time to work through the weekend in an effort to reach a framework agreement.”
Senate Republicans assert that passing U.S. aid to Israel and Ukraine—a top priority for President Joe Biden—will require their support for an immigration agreement.
Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer stated that the Senate intends to “act as soon as we are ready to move forward on the supplemental.”
Sen. John Kennedy, a Republican from Louisiana, stated that while he intends to return the following week, some Republicans are opposed.
He said, “I just know that some of my colleagues don’t think we have enough time, so they won’t want to come back.”
On his way out, House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., attacked the Senate, pointing out that the lower house is anticipated to reconvene on January 9.
Johnson was alluding to H.R. 2, a Republican-sponsored immigration and border reform package that the House passed earlier this year and which Senate Democrats claim is unworkable. A number of conservative members of the House have stated that they will only accept H.R. 2 in exchange for approving aid to Ukraine.
