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US Lawmakers Still Negotiating Ukraine Aid Deal as Holidays Near

by VOA News

   U.S. lawmakers are leaving open the possibility of reaching a deal on
   aid to Ukraine before leaving town for the holidays next week.

   Senators continued negotiations Thursday afternoon over the White
   House's $106 billion national security supplemental request, which
   includes $60 billion in military and humanitarian assistance for
   Ukraine.

   Republican senators have put forward their own proposal for border
   security funding and changes to U.S. immigration law in return for
   their votes authorizing a new round of aid to Ukraine.

   The Senate was scheduled Thursday to go out of session for the
   remainder of the year. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer is expected
   to announce the chamber will break for the weekend and return to work
   on negotiations on Monday.

   The Republican-majority House of Representatives, where conservative
   members are skeptical of sending aid to Ukraine, was also scheduled to
   go out of session on Thursday for the rest of the year. Members
   completed their votes for the week but could be called back to
   Washington to vote if the Senate reaches a deal.

   Speaker of the House Mike Johnson has previously said he intends to
   follow the schedule, allowing members to break for the holidays through
   their return on January 9.

   Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Ben Cardin told reporters
   Thursday morning that is he is hopeful an agreement can be reached.

   "I think that the majority of Democrats and the majority of Republicans
   want to pass a supplemental bill and are prepared to include in that
   border security issues, because we recognize we have a crisis at the
   border," he said.