Congress Funds $380M for Middle East Border Security

(DailyVantage.com) – President Joe Biden has signed a $1.2 trillion spending package that includes a $380 million allotment for border security in the Middle East.

The funds, which will be available until September 2025, are meant to reimburse the expenses for “enhanced border security” in Jordan, Oman, Lebanon, Tunisia, and Egypt. Jordan receives the most significant allotment of up to $150 million.

The spending bill, which passed the Democratic-led Senate by a 74 to 24 vote, will also see key government agencies funded through September 30. These include the Department of Homeland Security, the Department of Justice, the Department of State, and the Department of Treasury.

Large as the spending package is, it does not include any aid packages for Ukraine, Taiwan, or Israel. The aid packages for these countries are included in a separate bill that has been largely ignored by the Republican-led Congress, who have also objected to what they feel is ostensibly the Biden administration’s focus on foreign assistance at the expense of more pressing domestic issues.

One such issue is the current migrant influx at the U.S.’ southern border, which has also seen thousands of migrants cross illegally into the country, with thousands more stranded at the border. Many have also flooded the so-called “sanctuary cities” of Democrat-led states. Such cities like New York, Chicago, and Denver are experiencing a lack of resources to deal with the migrants and have made repeated calls for financial assistance from the federal government.

The passing of the bipartisan spending bill has also angered many staunch right-wing lawmakers, such as Republican Georgia Representative Marjorie Taylor-Green, who accused Republican Louisiana Representative and House Speaker Mike Johnson of “betraying the confidence” of the House GOP conference after letting the bipartisan spending measure move up to the Senate.

Republicans, however, did not walk away from the passing of the spending bill completely empty-handed after managing to secure a $490 million allotment for U.S. border security. The funds will be used to secure more than 20,000 additional Border Patrol agents, as well as fund other border security policies.