New Sen. Bernie Moreno wants border bill on Trump’s desk on Day 1, putting Dems on record
Just sworn in Sen. Bernie Moreno, R-Ohio, wants to send legislation dealing with the southern border crisis to President-elect Trump’s desk immediately, and thinks it might get enough votes.
“We have to make sure that we actually do the things that we campaigned on,” he said in an interview with Fox News Digital, referring to the prevalence of the border during the campaign.
Noting that voters were often concerned about “open borders and high prices,” the Ohio Republican, who unseated incumbent Democrat Sherrod Brown, said these issues need to be addressed immediately.
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Moreno was sworn into the Senate on January 3. (Reuters)
“We will make sure there is no illegal immigration, close our border, secure our border and deport anyone who is in this country illegally,” Moreno explained.
The hypothetical legislation would include “funding deportations, making sure we have the funding to secure the border to make sure we have a safe and secure border, to finish the wall, to put the technology in place, to put in the money so that these deportation efforts can happen at scale” , he said.
“We can do it soon, I’m sure,” the senator asserted. “We can even file a bill with President Trump when he’s sworn in.”
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The border has been a key message of the Trump and Republican campaigns. (Mark Abramson/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
For a measure to pass the Senate outside the budget reconciliation process, it must receive at least 60 votes in a procedural step, overriding a legislative filibuster. Republicans will have a majority of just 53 votes in the 119th Congress, and to defeat a filibuster, Democratic votes are needed to move the bill forward.
“Look, it should be 100 votes because it’s not a Republican issue,” Moreno said. “It’s an American issue. I’d like to see Democrats take a public stand against securing our border, because it’s crazy.”
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Trump stressed that he needs to work quickly to fulfill his plan. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)
Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-D., could bring such border measures up for a vote and put Democratic senators on the record when it comes to key GOP-led border bills. It was a tactic often used by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-NY, who has scheduled several votes on abortion, contraception and in vitro fertilization (IVF).
While Moreno wants some bills related to the border to be voted on immediately, part of the illegal immigration bill is expected to be included in the reconciliation bill this year, which also intends to tackle tax cuts, energy and defense.
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Thune could jolt Democrats with a vote on the border bill. (Ting Shen/AFP via Getty Images)
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“Members of Congress are starting to work on one powerful bill that will take our country back and make it greater than ever before,” Trump wrote on the Truth Social on Sunday. “We must secure our border, free up American energy and restore Trump’s tax cut, which was the largest in history, but we will do it even better – NO TAXES ON TIPS. ALL WILL BE COMPENSATED WITH TARIFFS AND MUCH MORE FROM COUNTRIES THAT HAVE EXPLOITED THE US FOR YEARS .”
“Republicans must unite and quickly achieve these Historic victories for the American people. Be smart, be strong and send legislation to my desk to be signed as soon as possible. LET’S MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!”
