WASHINGTON, D.C. — Arizona’s freshmen U.S. senators, Kyrsten Sinema and Martha McSally, split on the issue of border security.
Sinema, a Democrat, rejected President Trump’s compromise offer. McSally, a Republican, approved the president’s proposal.
The Senate held two votes on opposing plans to end the government shutdown.
“Today’s vote revealed two things – Kyrsten Sinema is a ‘no’ on compromise and a guaranteed ‘yes’ for Chuck Schemer,” said Renae Eze, Republican National Committee spokeswoman. “Sinema had a chance today to support Arizonans and federal workers by ending the government shutdown while securing our border, and she threw it all away simply to resist President Trump. Apparently Sinema is too busy running marathons to represent Arizonans.”
The Republican bill would have reopened government, and funded President Donald Trump’s border wall. The bill also offered temporary deportation protections for DREAMERs, those who were brought over as children by illegal immigrants, and provided disaster aid. The bill received 50 votes. Senate rules require 60 votes for passage.
The Democratic bill would have reopened the federal government but provided no money for border security while providing $12.1 billion in disaster aid. It received 52 votes.
I voted to end this irresponsible shutdown, but the only real way out of this mess is for both parties to sit down, talk, and find a long-term bipartisan solution. That’s what Arizonans expect and that’s exactly what I’ll keep doing. pic.twitter.com/jgFNlQEwEU
— Kyrsten Sinema (@SenatorSinema) January 24, 2019
Today, I took to the Senate Floor to urge Members of both parties to come together & work around the clock until we reach a solution that reopens the government & secures the southern border. See my remarks here: pic.twitter.com/KOVEzMRaTh
— Martha McSally (@SenMcSallyAZ) January 25, 2019