Manchin says potential border deal could come this week

Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) said Sunday that a potential Senate deal on the border could come this week, which could unlock additional funding for Ukraine and Israel.

“And I think our negotiators right now from our Republican and Democrat negotiators, who are really diligent doing a great job and then basically with the White House involved, committed to getting this border under control,” he said on CNN’s “State of the Union. “That’s what I’m really very hopeful for and I think we’re gonna see something next week and we’ll stay there until we get it done.”

Senate negotiations to compromise on the border have been taking place for weeks. Senators signaled optimism last week that the discussions were making progress, and the upper chamber plans to return this week in hopes of reaching an agreement before the end of the year.

Republican lawmakers have said they will not back additional aid for Ukraine without including new provisions for border security. Without congressional action by the end of the year, the Biden administration has warned that funding for Ukraine will run out.

Manchin also signaled that negotiations were moving forward on Sunday, but warned that the House will not get “anything done” without coming to a bipartisan solution. Earlier this year, the House GOP passed an Israel-only aid package that Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) declined to take up in the upper chamber.

“Well, let me just say this that I have been communicating with the negotiators, my my colleagues and friends on the Democrat and Republican side, also with the White House too, and I’m very encouraged,” Manchin said.

“I’m very optimistic they’re moving in a very positive way. They understand that the border is broken, that glass ceiling has been broken, and we’ve got to stop is dangerous immigration that we have come into our country from all over the world,” he continued.