The rejection of the legislation under suspension of the rules was unsurprising, as it would have relied on Democrat support to pass.
The House of Representatives on April 20 rejected another border security bill.
In a vote under suspension of the rules, the House voted 215–199 to block the bill. Because it was not considered under normal rules, it required a two-thirds majority to pass.
The bill was supported by all Republicans and was opposed by all but a handful of Democrats. Five Democrats joined Republicans in supporting the bill. But Republican support alone was not enough to push it over the finish line with the higher threshold.
The vote comes as the House, on the same day, is expected to approve $95 billion in foreign aid funding for Israel, Ukraine, and Taiwan. The Ukraine aid package included $300 million for Ukraine’s border security.
The legislation was considered under suspension of the rules because it had been blocked by conservatives on the House Rules Committee last week in protest to leadership’s decision to move forward on foreign aid legislation.
In a post to X, formerly known as Twitter, Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas)—among those who blocked the bill in the Rules Committee—said, “Sorry, not sorry, for opposing a crappy rule that is a show vote/cover vote for funding Ukraine instead of border security.”
The move came after House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) reneged on an earlier promise to not put Ukraine funding on the floor without border concessions from Democrats.
Mr. Johnson likely gave the bill a chance on the floor in an effort to assuage Mr. Roy and other conservatives who have been critical of his approach to foreign aid.
It comes amid an unprecedented crisis of illegal immigration along the southern border.
Border Patrol has encountered more than 7.6 million illegal immigrants trying to cross the border since President Joe Biden took office in January 2021, with millions more gotaways estimated to have entered undetected.
By Joseph Lord
