Defiant Lindsey Graham rams Trump-backed asylum bill through committee before August recess
by Anna Giaritelli
| August 01, 2019 03:39 PM
A defiant Lindsey Graham forced a White House-backed asylum restrictions bill through his Senate Judiciary Committee Thursday, following what he described as seven weeks of agony waiting unsuccessfully for Democrats to negotiate before the August recess.
"There is a crisis that's turning into a disaster, and somebody needs to shut off the flow," Graham said during the bill mark-up Thursday morning.
The committee voted along party lines 12-10 in favor of the South Carolina Republican's Secure and Protect Act, setting it up for a full Senate vote. The bill is meant to be a comprehensive conservative response to the border crisis.
Because Graham did not include amendments from Democrats, it is unlikely Republicans will get the 60 votes needed to pass the Senate, even if all 53 Republicans backed it. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell is not required to bring it up for a vote.
Committee Democrats criticized Graham Thursday for not considering any of the dozens of proposed amendments.
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https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/defiant-lindsey-graham-rams-trump-backed-asylum-bill-through-committee-before-august-recess
